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"Listen, girls," said Pauline, "there’s the plane right over us." 
"The Night Hawk," said Isabel. "Why, there’s something 
the matter; it's coming down!" 

(Page 85) (Greycliff Wings) 
















ft 


GREYCLIFF 

WINGS 

By HARRIET PYNE GROVE 

II 


Author of 

Cathalina at Grey cliff,” “The Girls of Grey cliff, 
The Greycliff Girls in Camp,” (t Greycliff Heroines. 


*> 





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A. L. BURT COMPANY 
Publishers New York 




























THE 

RADIO BOYS SERIES 

A SERIES OF STORIES FOR BOYS OF ALL AGES 

By GERALD BRECKENRIDGE 

The Radio Boys on the Mexican Border 

The Radio Boys on Secret Service Duty 

The Radio Boys with the Revenue Guards 

The Radio Boys Search for the Inca’s Treasure 

The Radio Boys Rescue the Lost Alaska Expedition 

The Radio Boys Seek the Lost Atlantis 

The Radio Boys In Darkest Africa 


Copyright, 1923 

By A. L. BURT COMPANY 


TPIE RADIO BOYS IN DARKEST AFRICA 


Made in “U. S. A.” 



AUG 27 '23 











■lit 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


to 

oQ 



CHAPTER I. 

A SENIOR PICNIC AND WHITE WINGS 

Deepest of sapphire skies, freshest of air, most 
sparkling of lake waters greeted the senior col- 
legiates, dignified by their position at the head of 
the school, on their first picnic of the year. By 
ones, twos, threes and more, they added to the 
company which sought seats upon the dancing 
Greycliff, freshly painted during the summer, the 
black letters of the name showing clearly against a 
pearl-grey side. The starry-eyed Eloise Winthrop, 
her dark locks done up in a new way, looked pret¬ 
tier than ever, as she stood up and waved wildly 
to Cathalina Van Buskirk and Lilian North, who 
were just climbing into the launch. 

'This way, girls!” she called. “Here’s Betty,— 
and Hilary and Pauline!” 

“Cathalina and Lillian are getting to look like 
sisters,” said Pauline. 

“It is more their manner,” said Eloise, “and 

3 



4 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


Lilian dresses more like Cathalina now that she 
lives in New York. Their features are not alike. 
Lilian’s look like a cameo. How much older she 
looks with her hair up, in that way too. Cathalina 
is still our little dreamer,—isn’t she lovely!” 

'‘Being engaged had made Lilian seem older,” 
said Pauline. “I noticed it last year when she 
came back after Christmas, even before she wore 
her ring. Where is Cathalina’s brother now? Do 
you know, Hilary?” 

“Yes. He and his cousin, Campbell Stuart, and 
Robert Paget, Philip’s other chum, have all been 
sent to a Southern camp to train recruits. They 
are lieutenants or something. You know they were 
at a military school before they went to the univer¬ 
sity for their last years.” 

“Ah, Hilary Lancaster,—I might have known 
that you would know all about it. There’s Helen 
Paget now. Robert is her cousin, isn’t he?” 

“Yes, Miss Tracy,” replied Hilary, pretending 
to be distant because of Pauline’s implied reference 
to Hilary’s interest in Campbell Stuart. 

Lilian and Cathalina had stopped to chat a 
moment with Isabel Hunt and Virginia Hope, two 
juniors, who had come down to the beach to see 
them off. The sun fell on Lilian’s gold locks and 
Cathalina’s light brown ones as they leaned over 
the side of the boat talking. Neither girl wore a 
hat, but each had a silk scarf around her neck to 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


5 


tie over flying hair if the wind proved too trouble¬ 
some. 

“Why didn’t we have a senior-junior affair, 
Isabel,” Lilian was saying, “So you and Virgie 
could come along?” 

“Couldn’t overload the Greycliff ” replied Isabel 
“Now if it looks like a storm don’t start back in a 
hurry,” warned she. “I don’t want to walk the 
floor the way I did two years ago on the night of 
the wreck!” 

“No danger, is there, Mickey,” replied Cathalina, 
looking at the ubiquitous and efficient Mickey, who 
was stowing away various impedimenta in the little 
cabin of the Grcycliff. Mickey was still the chief 
life-saver and mainstay of Greycliff school in more 
lines than one. 

“The weather’s goin’ to be foine,” replied 
Mickey, without much enthusiasm, for he was used 
to the ways of girls. “And oime goin’ meself this 
trip.” 

“Thanks, Mickey. An awful load is off my mind. 
Goodbye, girls, have a good time.” 

“Sit here, Cathalina and Lilian, do!” invited 
Juliet Howe and Helen Paget, as the girls passed 
them, and pointed to two seats near. 

“Yes, do,” seconded Diane Percy, moving along 
to make room. 

“Aren’t you nice—” said Cathalina patting 
Diane’s red cheeks lightly as she edged her way 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


6 

on, “but the girls are saving seats for us, you see. 
How does it happen that you are not with your 
room-mates?” she continued, looking at Juliet and 
Helen. 

“O, we thought that Pauline and Eloise needed 
a rest,” said Juliet, with a laugh. “We still speak 
to each other, however.” 

There had been some changes in the matter of 
room-mates, but the personnel of “Lakeview 
Suite,” so long the headquarters of Hilary Lan¬ 
caster, Betty Barnes, Cathalina Van Buskirk and 
Lilian North, was unchanged. The neighboring 
suite, occupied by Juliet and Pauline, Eloise and 
Helen, had also earned a name, but the girls were 
.as yet uncertain what to call it, though as Pauline 
said it was high time they called it something be¬ 
fore their last year at Greycliff should be over. 
When they were making out their schedules of 
study for the year, Eloise had suggested that it be 
called the “Labor Union,” but that name was scorn¬ 
fully rejected as not inspirational enough. As 
Helen was now president of the Psyche Club, 
Cathalina had suggested that the suite be called the 
Olympic Portal, or O. P., and while the girls had 
also rejected this name, she and Betty sometimes 
referred to the suite as the “O. P.” 

Cathalina and Lilian finally settled themselves, 
Cathalina by Betty, still her room-mate, and Lilian 
by Eloise, for Lilian had brought her guitar and 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


7 


hastened to get it out of its case. Eloise was al¬ 
ready strumming upon her ukulele, and rose to look 
around for anyone else who had one. But the 
other girls had either forgotten their instruments 
or had not wanted to bother with them. 

‘‘Start ’em off, Hilary,” said Lilian to her room¬ 
mate. “I can’t lead and play too, and neither can 
Eloise.” 

Hilary obediently started the Greycliff songs and 
some of the war songs so popular then, for the 
girls never started anywhere upon the water with¬ 
out singing. “The Long, Long Trail,” “Tip¬ 
perary,” and “Keep the Home Fires Burning,” 
followed in due order after the Greycliff songs, and 
Eloise and Lilian sang “I May Be Gone For a 
Long, Long Time,” which Lilian had brought with 
her from New York. It was comparatively new to 
the girls, but one after the other joined, as the 
catchy tune was supplemented by the chords and 
“plunks” of guitar and ukelele. Lilian was in a 
gay humor, for she had just received a bright letter 
from Phil, who complained that he supposed he 
would be kept training in this country till the end 
of the war, but told of many funny experiences, and 
the fact that he might be in America for some time 
to come was of much relief to both Lilian and 
Cathalina. 

“Why, where are you going , Mickey?” asked 
one of the girls in surprise, as she saw that they 


8 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


were going out in the open lake far beyond where 
they usually turned toward the famous old “Island.” 
This could now be seen at their left in the distance. 

“Oi have a surprise fur ye,” said Mickey, turning 
the wheel a little. “Wait a minute an’ ye can see a 
little flag on the shore. The trustees has bought a 
new playground for ye, where there ain’t no rocks.” 

Great surprise and pleasure was evident on the 
faces of all the girls who could hear what Mickey 
said, and the word was passed around to the others. 
They all watched with interest, while the boat 
chugged on, several miles further on, and then 
turned nearer shore, toward a sandy beach and a 
new dock. As they approached, several gulls which 
had been perching there spread their wings and 
flew away. “Oh,” exclaimed Lilian, “this ought to 
be called ‘White Wings.’ Look at the terns fishing 
out there!” 

“It does seem to be a regular feeding place for 
the birds,” said Hilary with great interest. “Of 
course, the wings are not all white, really,” she 
added. 

“But they look so,” insisted Lilian. “Have they 
named the place, Mickey?” 

“No, m’am, not as I know of,” replied Mickey. 

“I’ll write it up, then, for the Grey cliff Star” 
said Lilian who, as chief editor this year was al¬ 
ways looking for “copy,”—“and call it ‘White 
Wings,’ and perhaps the name will stick to it.” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


9 


Carefully the Greycliff was docked and the 
girls helped carry the lunch ashore, hurrying to¬ 
ward a pretty little summer house which Mickey 
pointed out to them. It stood back among the 
trees and was screened, with a floor and pinic tables. 

“Hurrah!” exclaimed Betty, “no mosquitoes or 
bugs at our meals. Blessings on the Greyclif? 
trustees!” 

“Let’s ask Miss Perin about it,” suggested 
Hilary. “She did not look the least bit surprised 
when Mickey was telling about it, and has probably 
heard all about it at faculty meeting.” 

“All right,” replied Betty,—“isn’t it the funniest 
thing not to have Miss West for chaperone? We 
always used to ask for her. I had the shock of my 
life not to find her here.” 

“Our dear ‘Patty’ is getting married about now, 
I suppose,” said Hilary. “Dr. Norris, I mean 
Lieutenant Norris, was to have leave of absence 
and they were to be married this week. But Patty 
is coming back here as soon as he leaves for 
France.” 

“When will that be?” 

“Nobody knows.” 

“There is Miss Perin now. Ask her, Hilary.” 

The girls joined their young chaperone, who was 
taking Miss West’s place, with English and Latin 
classes, at GreyclifL 

“Yes,” Miss Perin replied, in answer to Hilary’s 


10 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


question, “this is a farm which was willed to Grey- 
cliff and they came into possession of it this past 
summer. The beach was so fine that they decided 
to make a new picnic place for the girls of the 
school, and they rented the farm to a man who is 
supposed to keep an eye on this part of the grounds 
as well. They say that they were able to secure a 
real scientific farmer to run the place because he 
wanted to experiment with a hydroplane here. He 
has one or two helpers that are very good and the 
trustees got him for a very reasonable price to fur¬ 
nish certain things to the school. It gives him a 
convenient market, too.” 

The girls scattered about the beautiful place to 
see what was there. The “picnic grounds” proper 
were out upon a point or peninsula where the little 
screened house had been erected, with a small boat 
house and another building which proved to be an 
ice house. Easy enough was it to get a supply of 
ice to last over the summer. Grounds stretched out 
to left and right toward the lake, and on the right 
hand was a little bay, an ideal place for the experi¬ 
ments with hydroplanes. Another small dock was 
here. 

Leaving the picnic point behind, the girls crossed 
a little road to the farm proper, where the usual 
farm-house and other buildings were located. There 
seemed to have been an old log house as the original 
home. This stood back upon a rise of ground, 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


11 


while some distance to the side and front of it was 
a modern farm house, a large barn and silo still 
further over. Back of the bay were open fields. 
A vineyard of well-trained grape-vines was on a 
slope and stretched for quite a distance. A big 
orchard and a pretty stretch of woodland attracted 
the bird lovers, who ran up the slope to investigate. 

Betty and Cathalina were together. Although 
Lilian loved Cathalina dearly, and for Phil’s sake 
now as well as her own, still Plilary, her room¬ 
mate, was her chief confidante whenever they were 
within reach of each other. And Hilary had vis¬ 
ited Lilian during the summer, enjoying a little of 
the time with her own as yet undeclared lover, 
Campbell Stuart, cousin to Cathalina and Philip 
Van Buskirk. It was plain to all what Campbell 
thought of Hilary, but he thought that she should 
be free until after the war. Lilian and Philip, on 
the other hand, were openly engaged, and by com¬ 
mon consent were permitted to enjoy each other’s 
society in the few days they had together. The 
North’s had moved further out, for the judge felt 
too cramped in the apartment to which they had 
first moved when they went to New York. 

Both Lilian and Hilary were lingering near the 
bay to discuss matters pertaining to their future, 
while Cathalina suggested to Betty that they go 
through the rows of vines to reach the woods. 
They did so, but paused to listen to a wren song. 


12 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“That’s a Bewick wren, Cathalina,” said Betty. 
“Take the glass and see if you can find him.” 

Betty handed the glass to Cathalina, and turning, 
saw a man who was tying up one of the vines and 
had turned to look at her. Betty caught a flashing 
look of recognition and then the man’s back was 
quickly turned. Betty was instinctively on guard, 
and in even tones continued her low conversation 
with Cathalina. “Do you get it, Cathalina?” 

“Yes, Betty, You look now. It is on that low 
bush. See?” 

The girls satisfied themselves in regard to the 
wren and went on up the slope toward the old log 
house, on whose step they sat down to look over 
the whole place with their field glass, for they had 
decided that one was enough to bring on a picnic. 

Betty glanced around to see if any one was 
within hearing. “I’ve something to tell you,” she 
said. “Did you notice the man that was tying up 
the vines as we came along?” 

“Why, yes, I believe I did see somebody, one of 
the hands, I suppose.” 

“Yes, and he gave me the funniest look and 
hurried to turn his back on us. Now where have I 
seen those flashing eyes before? I certainly haven’t 
any acquaintances like that!” 

“You have had some queer experiences, Bettina, 
for a timid little lady like yourself. Think of your 
friend Captain Holley.” 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


13 


“I have it, Cathalina. Your suggestion fits. This 
is one of the men in that boat, way back in our 
second year at Greycliff, there at that place where 
afterwards Isabel and I heard somebody in the 
cave, you know, and then saw Captain Holley come 
out, and the men carried away the box. You re¬ 
member that we went there once with Patty last 
year, but didn't see anything and were afraid to in¬ 
vestigate much.” 

“Oh yes. You and Isabel told Dr. Norris or 
somebody about it, but I guess nobody thought 
much about it.” 

“Everybody had too much to do. Do you sup¬ 
pose Captain Holley is still at the military school?, 
He’s an 'enemy alien’ now.” 

“Yes, he is there. Louise is back, you know, 
and I heard her say that her brother was coming 
over to dinner with her Sunday. Louise is a lot 
nicer to the girls than she used to be, and I heard 
her say that she was very unhappy to think that 
her country and her adopted country were at war.”' 

“Oh, well, let’s not think about them!” 

“I suppose this man is some one who lives around 
here. But it is funny that he did not want you to 
look at him. It looks as if there were something 
out of the way going on, that time at the cave.” 

“It does indeed! Isn’t there a pretty view from 
here? There come Hilary and Lil. Let’s go on to 
the woods. The birds are in the fall migration now. 


14 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


perhaps we’ll find something different. Think of 
it, Cathalina, only one more beautiful spring here! 
Do you suppose we’ll like it as well at college?” 

“It will be different. I don’t believe any place 
could be to us what dear old Greycliff has been. I 
can’t realize yet that we are seniors. Wouldn’t it 
be fine if they would add the two more years of a 
college course?” 

“They don’t want that kind of a school here. 
Have you any idea where you will go?” 

“Yes, in New York, but whether I get right into 
Columbia or not I don’t know. Perhaps I’ll just 
take what I want. But mother wants me there. 
She pretty nearly kept me at home this time. It 
is hard on her, you know, with Philip away at 
camp. But Aunt Katherine was strong for having 
me finish up this course here, and Father said, 
‘Your Aunt Knickerbocker’s idea of sending Catha¬ 
lina to Greycliff worked out pretty well’!” 

“He usually calls her that, doesn’t he?” 

“Yes. Then Aunt Katherine reminded Mother 
that she would be head over heels—she didn’t sav 

o' 

that—in war work, and Mother is on about forty 
committees more or less, so it was decided.” 

“How about little Cathalina? Didn’t she have 
any voice in the matter?” 

“Yes indeed. But I thought if Mother really 
needed me I would stay without a word. I’ve been 
so upset in plans myself, as all of us have been, and 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


15 


I thought I’d like to be where I’d see Phil if he is 
sent over very soon. But they are to telegraph, 
and Lilian and I will go on. And say, Betty, the 
last letter I had from Captain Van Horne said that 
it will not be very long until the Rainbow Division 
goes over.” 

“Is he with that?” 

“Yes.” 

“Does he write often?” 

“Oh, no, not so very often,—not like Lilian and 
Phil, or Hilary and Campbell. By the way, what 
was it you told me about Donald Hilton? I’ve been 
on such a rush ever since we began school that I 
have a lot of confused impressions about different 
things.” 

“Donald joined the marines! I never was so sur¬ 
prised.” 

“Why, did he know anything about the navy?” 

“Not a thing, but it seems he always has been 
crazy about ships and things. You must read some 
of his letters,—they are so interesting.” 

“I’d love to, if you don’t mind.” 

“Oh, I always tell you anything flattering that 
he says in them anyway. Do you ever hear from 
Bob Paget, or Lawrence Haverhill?” 

“Yes, both boys have written since I came here. 
Lawrence is in a different camp, it seems, and is 
sorry not to be with the other boys.” 


16 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“That was such a lovely house-party that we had 
last year, just a year ago, after camp.” 

“The next one will probably be for Lil’s wed¬ 
ding, after the war.” 

“Lil’s wedding?—and you Phil’s sister!” 

“Yes, the wedding is chiefly the bride’s, I guess. 
I wish I had another brother or cousin for you, 
Betty, though the future Admiral Hilton wouldn’t 
thank me for that, I suppose. But to have you ’way 
off in Chicago !” 

“Don’t you think that we are going ahead just a 
little too fast, Cathalina?” 

“I guess we are, especially if the war lasts for 
years and years!” 

“Donald says it can’t after he and the other boys 
from Grant Academy get over there! He is always 
joking that way.” 

“I wonder where the farm ends,” said Cathalina, 
looking through the woods which seemed to 
stretch endlessly along the bluff above the shore. 

“We’d better not go too far. I don’t see Hilary 
and Lilian now. Let’s go back. That looks like 
another shack or cabin ahead of us. Perhaps it 
belongs to some other farm.” 

The girls retraced their steps, finding other girls 
strolling about, and joining some of them to go 
where some fine stock was grazing. Betty leaned 
over a fence to snap some pictures of the cattle. 
“Nice old bossies,” she said. “I guess this place is 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


17 


where that grand cream we’re having now comes 
from. Come on, let’s get the farmer to pose for 
us with some of the horses, or the family, if they 
want to.” 

“There isn’t any family there yet, but the tenants 
live back in that little bit of a house. See?” Eloise 
was pointing as she spoke. “And it’s no use to ask 
the farmer. Some of the girls did, and he acted as 
if he were mad about it. I don’t believe he likes 
to have the girls come here. Listen! That’s the 
dinner bell. Doesn’t it make you think of Merry- 
meeting Camp?” 

“Where do we have our lunch?—O, yes, of 
course, in the little summer house they made on 
purpose. Say, Eloise, wouldn’t it be fun to snap 
the farmer when he wasn’t looking? Where is he?” 
Betty was looking all around to find the new farmer 
of whom she had had a glimpse as they went up to 
the wood. “He’s such a straight, fine-looking man 
that he would make a good picture for our memory 
books, if we could get him with a good back¬ 
ground of the woods and lake, or the vineyard, or 
some of the pretty surroundings here.” 

“He doesn’t look as if hard work had broken him 
down, does he?” said Diane. 

“No, he doesn’t,” said Betty. “I tell you, some 
of you girls stop and talk to him, and I’ll get behind 
some bushes or something and watch for a good 
chance to snap him. There he is now, bringing out 


18 


GREYCL1FF WINGS 


that handsome black horse from the barn. Come 

it 

on. 

The black horse was restive, and Betty, hurrying 
on, caught an excellent picture of both horse and 
man, while the farmer was too busy with the horse 
to observe anything else. t When he did observe her 
and her camera he took pains to keep his face 
turned away. 

“Funny folks around here,” remarked Betty to 
Cathalina. “One man does not want to be seen at 
all, and another can’t bear to have his picture taken 
and doesn’t like girls much, I guess. Now I must 
get a picture of the beach and some of the birds, if 
Lilian is going to call the place White Wings. I 
wonder if they won’t let the seniors name it. I 
suppose that shed or something down there is where 
the hydroplane is. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if 
we could get that, too. Perhaps we can when it’s 
finished.” 

“And name it White Wings, too,” suggested 
Eloise. 

“Some of the girls started to peek in a while ago, 
and the crossest man, worse than the farmer, told 
them that they weren’t to come around there at all.” 

“I imagine it upsets them to have us all over the 
place like this,” said Cathalina, “but they’ll get used 
to it, unless they make a rule that picnic parties 
have to keep to the picnic ground. But the girls were 
told not to break off any of the fruit or do anything 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


19 


‘destructive’ and I don’t think any of the senior 
girls would. My, Diane, do you see that wonder¬ 
ful basket of grapes that man is carrying across 
the road for us!” 

“Who wouldn’t be a senior girl at Greycliff 
Farm ?” inquired Eloise of the squirrels or birds or 
anybody who happened to be listening, as they 
hurried to the little summer house. 

“Really, this is the best part of the place for us,” 
said Hilary. “There isn’t a better beach anywhere 
along than this, and about two or three o’clock we 
can have a fine swim. Have you noticed the swings 
and seats in that grassy spot under those old 
trees?—over in that direction. I’m going to get 
out my knitting as soon as lunch is over and go 
there to rest my bones.” 

“I didn’t bring my knitting,” said Betty, “but I 
have a good story, one that I bought to read on the 
train, but didn’t read it there, nor have I had any 
time since. If you like I can read aloud a while. 
I move that we offer resolutions of thanks to who¬ 
ever got up all these things.” 

“Miss Randolph thought it up, I imagine,” said 
Lilian. “She hasn’t liked the Island very well, 
though I suppose they will go there sometimes 
still.” 

“The Island is very romantic,” said Helen Paget, 
in her pretty Southern way. “There is the cave, 
you know, and the rocks, and the place where the 


20 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


water rushes through. I’m glad we had it.” 

“Speaking of caves,” said Diane, “you girls 
never took me to that one you told such wonderful 
tales about last year. Didn’t you and Isabel, Betty, 
explore one the year that I wasn’t at Greycliff?” 

“We didn’t exactly explore it,” replied Betty. 
“We must go there before it gets cold. As senior 
girls, we ought to be able to get permission to go 
beyond the place where the breakwater is.” 

“In boats?” 

“O, no; just around the cliffs toward Greycliff 
Heights, you know, where all those big rocks are. 
But I want to have a lot of the girls along.” 

Fruit and rich cream were the chief contributions 
of the farm to the lunch of the seniors. Sand¬ 
wiches and other good things had been brought 
from the school. After the lunch, the girls really 
rested for some time. Senior days are strenuous 
at times, with many activities and the home stretch 
of studies, and a day of freedom from lessons is 
welcomed. 

The sun was warm when the girls splashed in 
the cool waters, swimming out as far as Mickey 
permitted, or diving from the new diving board. 

It was not until the girls were gathering up their 
different belongings, as the Greycliff approached 
the school dock, that Betty missed her camera. “I 
thought you had it, Cathalina,” she said. “Didn’t 
you tell me that you would look after it?” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


21 


“Yes, I did, but when I went to the place you 
said you left it, it wasn't there, and I thought you 
had taken it after all. You were on the boat first, 
you know.” 

After all the girls were out of the Greycliff, the 
two girls searched the boat, in the hope that some 
one had seen the camera and brought it, but no 
camera was there. 

“It’s the funniest thing, Cathalina,” said Betty, 
as they walked up toward the Hall. “I put it right 
with Lilian’s guitar and Eloise’s ukelele when I 
said I’d help Miss Perin carry some of her things 
to the boat, and it wasn’t five minutes after that 
when you went to get it.” 

“Yes, I told you I would, when you passed 
Hilary and me and said if one of us would bring 
your camera you wouldn’t have to come back. 
Then when I went into the summer house to get it,, 
there wasn’t a thing in the whole place but the 
guitar and the uke. I even looked into the little 
cupboards. So I thought that you must have found 
you could carry it and had gone back after it, or 
told somebody else to get it. I was jabbering to 
the girls and didn’t notice what you did or I might 
have seen you go straight on and get on the Grey¬ 
cliff. It’s a perfect shame!” 

“Well, it isn’t your fault, Cathalina. I’m real 
sorry, because I had some such pretty pictures of 
the place. I got one gull just spreading his wings 


22 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


to fly, and I thought that perhaps Lilian might have 
a cut made of that for the Grey cliff Star, if she is 
going to write up ‘White Wings.’ 

“We’ll advertise for the camera, but I can’t think 
of a senior girl who would take it for a joke or on 
purpose.” 

“Yes, I’ll have a little notice read and tell about 
the pictures, and it may turn up.” 


GREYCLIFF, WINGS 


23 


CHAPTER II, 

“WHITTIERS.” 

Isabel Hunt and .Virginia Hope, juniors, .were 
together in a single room on Lakeview Corridor. 
It was the same room which Isabel had occupied 
with Avalon Moore when they first came to Grey- 
cliff. .While the scholarship which Virginia had 
won the year before was a great help to her finan¬ 
cially, she still felt that she must be as economical 
as possible, and single rooms cost less than suites, 
even when the expense of a suite was divided 
among four. Isabel said that she, too, was well 
suited by making careful plans, for Jim and her 
father were saving against the time when all the 
boys would be in the army and business might 
suffer. Then, Avalon Moore and Olivia Holmes, 
who had shared the suite with them, were not back 
this year. Avalon’s father was an officer in the 
regular army, and Avalon was with her mother and 
the other children, while her father was in France. 
Olivia’s people had moved from the South to 
California, where her sister lived. 

“Honestly, Virgie,” said Isabel one evening, “I 


24 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


believe it is easier to study with just you and me 
here. It’s such a temptation to talk when there are 
more of us.” 

Virginia looked up from her book with an 
amused glance. 

“I know what you are thinking,” continued 
Isabel with a laugh, “but I only break out by spells. 
I wonder what Olivia and Avalon are doing to¬ 
night.” 

“Getting lessons too, I suspect.” 

“Yes, Olivia wrote that she likes her school out 
there pretty well, but misses all of us girls. There 
is her letter, Virgie. I forgot to tell you to read it. 
She says that the girls are crazy about her butterfly 
pin and want to start a Psyche Club there. And 
she wants us to write and tell her every single thing 
about Greycliff, who is back and who isn’t, and 
where the Grant Academy boys are, if we know, 
and everything. I wonder what she has done with 
her fur coat!” 

Both girls laughed as they recalled how eager 
Olivia had been for the new experiences of the 
North, and how she had run to her closet for the 
coat as soon as the fire alarm rang, not long after 
her arrival. 

“She got to be one of the best skaters here, and 
adored skiing!” Isabel shook her head in regret for 
the lost opportunities of the absent Olivia. 

“Oh, well,” said Virginia, “when we’re freezing 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


25 


our noses and toeses this winter, she’ll be picking 
roses and oranges.” 

“That is pretty nearly a poem, Virgie. Can’t 
you fix it up a little? Noses, toeses and roses are so 
poetic!” 

“No,” said Virgie, “I’m capable of rhyme, but 
not of meter. Lilian can make up poetry enough 
for our club. By the way, I’m in favor of Olivia’s 
starting a Psyche Club out there if they want to. 
Faith, love, effort, and ‘on to Olympus,’ or immor¬ 
tality, aren’t bad ideals. It certainly impressed me 
when I first came here, and you all were so per¬ 
fectly lovely to me. Do you know, it didn’t seem a 
bit hard to go back to the ranch this summer. I 
wanted so to see Father that it took away my dread, 
and when I got there I found the world such a big 
place to me, after the school life, that it didn’t make 
so much difference about what happened for a little 
while on the ranch. Then my stepmother had been 
sick and worried about Father—she was glad to see 
me! So I took hold to help, and it was easier, and 
I had learned to appreciate the big country around 
us, and instead of its being an awful summer it was 
one of the best I ever had! I kept thinking, too, that 
I could probably have at least one more year of 
education here, and perhaps earn the rest myself.” 

“Yes, isn’t it queer how you find out you can do 
things? Why, if anybody had told me once that I 


26 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


would enjoy debating, I would have thought them, 
him or her, crazy!” 

“It’s a good thing I don’t have to make candy 
this year to help out the expenses. Isn’t it queer 
about the sugar?” 

“Everything is queer this year, with the boys 
gone and going. It is a good thing that we have 
so much to do.” 

“I wonder why Myrtle Wiseman isn’t back this 
year.” 

“I’m sure I don’t know. Juliet said that it was 
so much easier to have the class elections this year 
without the schemes.” 

“Perhaps we could get Dorothy Appleton and 
Jane Mills in the Psyche Club, then.” 

“I think it is too late, at least the girls think so, 
and they are in the other society, you know. Lilian 
said that we had all formed different groups. But 
they are lovely girls and very friendly. When they 
went into the Emerson Literary Society last year, 
they were with a different crowd, and now, of 
course, they are ‘rushing’ against our girls, that is, 
I suppose we can call them our girls!” 

“Do you think they will ask us to join the 
Whittiers?” 

“Do I think so?—with Cathalina president, and 
Hilary secretary, and Lilian on the program com¬ 
mittee? Yes, Miss Elope, I think that it is quite 
likely. One of the girls in the debating club asked 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


27 


me the other day if it was of any use for the 
Emerson Society to invite us. She said, ‘With all 
those girls in your Psyche Club that are in the 
Whittier Society, I suppose you wouldn’t think of 
being an ‘Emerson,’ but you and Virgie are such 
fine debaters that we’d get you in if we could.’ Now 
wasn’t that nice?” 

“Who was it?” 

“Lucile Houston, and Jane Mills was with her. 
I just said something about appreciating their good 
opinion. I was so overcome by it, you see, that I 
neglected altogether to state whether or not we 
were interested in an invitation from the Emer¬ 
sons.” 

“Doesn’t it seem funny not to be in society to¬ 
night?” 

“Yes. I felt as if I ought to rush down to the 
Shakespearean Society and call the meeting to 
order tonight. But I am glad of the rest. And I 
feel so grown up to be in the first real collegiate 
class that I scarcely know myself. I mean to get 
ahead on work these few weeks before we get into 
society work, and say, I can knit like everything 
while I commit my debate speeches or the other 
things we have to learn for the oratory class. As 
soon as I finish a scarf or two, I’m going to begin 
on sweaters. It is so crazy that I never learned be¬ 
fore, with Aunt Helen right there to teach me. 
But I learned how to knit socks this summer.” 


28 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


The corridors were full of girls in the pretty 
dresses which they had worn to dinner, hurrying 
toward the different society halls. Soft bells were 
ringing here and there. These were important 
meetings, for new members were to be elected, 
matters connected with the sending out of invita¬ 
tions to be decided, besides the usual pressing 
affairs of girls’ literary societies. There were only 
two societies in the two collegiate classes, hence the 
rivalry. One or two others had ingloriously died 
soon after their birth. Only the devoted Whittiers 
and Emersons had survived. 

Two pink spots burned on the cheeks of Catha- 
lina Van Buskirk, for she was to take the “oath 
of office” tonight, sit in the famous chair on the 
little platform and wield the gavel of ebony, 
presented by a famous graduate who had made a 
name for herself. The other new officers were also 
to be initiated, and then the important matters of 
business were to be conducted. “Hilary, wink at 
me if I do anything wrong, and then I will find it 
necessary to consult the secretary,” said Cathalina 
gayly, as they entered the door. 

“You will get along as well as I did when I was 
president of the Shakespearean Society. Didn’t we 
read Robert’s Rules of Order together? I shall 
have to learn the duties of a secretary. It seems 
funny, but with all the church societies I have been 
in I’ve never been a secretary, and in this society, 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


29 


recording and corresponding secretaries are one. 
They usually wanted me to be the president, or 
treasurer. I suppose they thought they could trust 
the preacher’s daughter!” 

“You will have the old books to go by. I 
imagine that we can remember what the seniors did 
last year after we get started in.” 

“Hurry up, Lilian,” said Hilary, turning back, 
“time to begin.” 

“Don’t you love this hall?” asked Lilian of both 
girls. “It was fun working for the Shakespearean 
Society and getting our new furniture and all, but 
I believe this seems more artistic because it is older. 
The tone of the piano is not as good, though. We 
must have a new one, don’t you think so, Hilary?” 

“This hall is a better, larger room with more 
windows,” said Cathalina. “It was possible in the 
first place to make a prettier hall of it, and, yes, the 
furniture is more handsome than we thought we 
could afford when we started the academy society. 
The older society really ought to be the more dig¬ 
nified.” 

“We didn’t think so when we were in the 
academy!” 

“No, indeed. How we do change!” 

No embarrassment could ever make Cathalina 
awkward. The girls were always sure to be proud 
of Cathalina’s manner and language either in pub¬ 
lic or private. Isabel was as devoted to Cathalina 


30 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


as ever and felt an added gratitude since Cathalina 
had saved her, as she said, “from a watery grave” 
the year before. Cathalina herself was pleased that 
the girls had chosen her their president, and had 
made detailed preparations having in her hand a 
neat little outline of the affairs to be put through 
tonight. There was to be no regular program until 
the new members were brought in at the next meet¬ 
ing, but if the business did not take up the whole 
time, Evelyn Calvert had promised to give a “read¬ 
ing” in the dialect for which she was famous in the 
school, and Eloise was to sing. Among girls of so 
many gifts, the program committee did not have a 
very difficult task. The only trouble was to make 
sure that the girls prepared for their duties, for it 
was easy to be lazy about society affairs when there 
were so many pressing school duties all the time. 

Pretty and dainty Cathalina looked when, after 
the ceremony with which the officers were initiated, 
she sat in state in the big chair. “The Secretary 
will now call the roll,” said she, whereupon Hilary 
called the names of the members from what she now 
called the “Sibylline Books.” The treasurer was 
called upon for a report of the money left over in 
the treasury from last year, and Pauline Tracy 
reported a comfortable little sum. A report was 
called from the chairman of the program committee, 
Lilian responding. 

“Madam President,” said Lilian, “and members 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


31 


of the Whittier Society, nothing has been done yet 
except the arrangements for the first program at the 
initiation of the new members. You will remem¬ 
ber that it was decided last year to complete a 
program for one-third of the year, then to pass on 
the programs, changed as they sometimes have to 
be when some one fails to serve, to the next pro¬ 
gram committee, with the list of those members 
who have not yet been on duty. I would like to 
remind the society, that every member is supposed 
to be on duty several times through the year and 
that the duties will be varied. For instance, if the 
musical members should only have to furnish music, 
they would miss the training in speaking before the 
society, or debating.” 

“Madam President,” said Juliet, rising. 

“Miss Howe,” responded the president. 

“I should like to ask why we have the program 
divided into three parts,—like ‘all Gaul’.” A titter 
ran around the room. 

Lilian rose again and was recognized by the 
chair. 

“Madam President,—there used to be three 
terms, and three sets of officers elected, of course. 
Now with the two semesters, the society has several 
times considered changing its schedule, but has con¬ 
cluded that it is better to give the opportunity to 
have the three elections and more girls occupying 
the responsible positions during the year.” 




32 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“Is there any unfinished business ?” inquired the 
president. “If not, a motion to present the names 
of the prospective members is in order. ” 

This was the time for careful management on the 
part of the president. Nothing unkind should be 
said that could be reported to girls under con¬ 
sideration. 

“Madam President,” said Helen Paget, “I so 
move, that we proceed at once to the election of new 
members.” 

“I second the motion,” crisply said Diane of the 
distinct enunciation. 

This motion duly passed, Eloise Winthrop rose 
to make a few remarks. “Madam President,” said 
she, “may we have some discussion of the names 
proposed last week? I remember how we all agreed 
that nothing unpleasant should be said, but it seems 
to me that if there is any real objection to anybody, 
we ought to know it, and perhaps leave their names 
until the next election. There are a few girls, too, 
that I do not know very well, some new ones, and 
I should like to hear reasons why they should be 
invited.” 

“Chiefly because the Emersons want them,” 
quickly said one girl, and without addressing the 
president. The girls laughed and Cathalina tapped 
for order. 

“The names are posted at the sides of the room,” 
said the president, “but the secretary will read the 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


33 


names proposed last week, and if there are other 
names that you have thought of since, they may be 
proposed then. Will the secretary also give some 
of the reasons why we invite girls to the society ?” 

As Hilary rose, to read the list and comply with 
Cathalina’s request, she hesitated a little, smiled, 
and put down her papers on the little carved table 
before her. “I suppose the first real reason, if we 
are honest,” said she, “is that we want our best 
friends with us in our society, just as we like to 
be in the same school and the same classes. Then 
we want to get girls into the society that will do 
it honor, girls that will try to help and girls that are 
gifted or have some qualities that make them 
desirable. A girl may not have any great gift, but 
be so utterly lovable and perhaps helpful to every¬ 
body that we couldn’t get along without her. And 
then we want girls that need the society work,— 
indeed we all need it. I remember a girl that was 
so timid she was afraid to do anything in public, 
but she was enthusiastic for the society she was in, 
helped in all the practical ways, finally tried to take 
part in the programs, and got all over being so 
scared. We put her on for reading little things at 
first, or singing in a quartet, or doing other things 
with several girls, until she found that she was 
valuable in those places and liked it. You never 
can tell. I’m in favor of taking in as many nice 
girls as we can, up to the number we decided upon.” 


34 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


Hilary then read the list and with the help of 
several other girls passed the ballots, long ones on 
ruled paper. 

“Now does any one want to speak for her can¬ 
didate ?” asked Cathalina. Several girls did. 
Isabel and Virginia were heralded as fine debaters 
and willing to do anything for the society they were 
in. The new girls were duly considered, as musical, 
or literary, or valuable additions in one respect or 
another. Some of the girls had been dreading to 
do what they ought to do in reference to one name, 
but when it was enthusiastically pushed by one or 
two of the girls, Eloise rose, her cheeks flushed and 
her dark eyes glowing. 

“Madam President, I do hate to say what I feel 
that I ought to say, and I hope you all know that I 
haven’t a thing against this girl personally. She is 
pretty and attractive and a good student, but they 
tell me that she is a regular trouble-maker and al¬ 
ways stirs up things wherever she is. I hope that 
it isn’t so, but she has had a change of room-mates 
already, and I have noticed myself that she is not 
on speaking terms with one or two others.” 

“Miss Howe,” said Cathalina, recognizing Juliet. 
“I am sorry to confirm what Eloise says. You 
know that the Alpha Zetas, which really does not 
exist, because we are not allowed to have sororities, 
or any secret societies,”—smiles went round the 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


35 


room at this remark, and one or two of the girls put 
on a look of supreme ignorance. 

“—began to rush her vigorously, and all of a 
sudden they stopped. I think that she is just a 
spoiled girl who may find out later that having her 
own way at other girls’ expense is not the way to 
get along. I would suggest that we wait a while 
about electing her.” 

“Madam President,” said one of the girls who 
had recommended this new girl, a recent addition 
to the junior collegiate class, from some high school. 
“I havn’t seen a thing disagreeable in Alice, and it’s 
just going to be a tragedy! She is counting on it 
so!” The eyes of Alice’s defender were full of tears 
as she sat down. 

Cathalina looked sympathetic and asked if there 
were any one else who would speak in favor of Alice 
or any other candidate, but the society seemed to be 
through with discussion and the election proceeded. 
Alas for the occasional heartaches, but a girls’ 
school is a fine place in which to learn to live with 
other people. 


36 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


CHAPTER III. 

THE RETURN OF “PATTY.” 

The lights from Grey cliff parlors shone out over 
the campus. Here and there, in the rooms above, 
a light would flash out, as the occupant of a room 
entered it and turned on her electricity. In the 
larger reception room, Hilary was at the piano, 
while Eloise, Lilian and some of the other girls 
were singing. The sounds of the music and happy 
conservation floated out and reached the ears of a 
young woman who had just alighted from a taxi. 
She paid the chauffeur, hurried up the steps and 
entered the entrance hall,—so far, alone, but only 
for a few moments, for exclamations of ‘‘It’s Patty, 
girls!” or “Oh, here’s Patty!” began to be heard. 
Soon the newcomer was the center of a welcoming 
group of girls. One took her traveling bag, an¬ 
other her pocketbook, and since the hat with its 
veil seemed to be in the way, she unpinned the 
stylish little affair and handed it to another of the 
girls. 

“Oh, Miss West,—I mean Mrs. Norris, it is so 
grand to have you back!” 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


37 


“Yes, indeed. Miss Carver is crosser than ever 
since the-” 

“Hush! Don’t say anything about the war; Patty 
can’t stand it!” 

“Oh, are you really married?” 

“Yes, girls, I’m really married, and it is won¬ 
derful to have you glad to see me, like this,—I’m 
going to need—lots of company!” Patty put her 
face for a moment on Pauline’s comfortable 
shoulder, but lifted it bravely, smiling as she 
finished, “—he belongs to me anyhow, and he sent 
his warmest greetings to you all.” 

“Who in the world is she?” asked one of the 
“new girls,” “and who is the ‘he’ she is talking 
about?” 

“It is Mrs. Norris, who was Miss West and has 
been a teacher here for several years. Dr. Norris 
came here to teach, too, and they were engaged 
all last year. Then he was in camp and couldn’t 
get away to be married, I guess. Anyway, they 
were just married recently, and I suppose she has 
seen him off to France.” 

Betty, Cathalina and Pauline saw their “Patty” to 
her room, put away her things for her, and hovered 
around till Miss Randolph, hearing of the arrival, 
came up herself to greet the bride. Mrs. Norris 
hastened to say that her next act was to have been 
a visit to Miss Randolph, after the dust of travel 
was removed, but Miss Randolph replied that she 



38 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


was only too glad to come to her. The girls im¬ 
mediately withdrew and went out to join the other 
interested girls, who wanted to hear all about the 
romantic wedding. 

“We don’t know a thing,” said Betty. *“Of 
course, we wouldn’t ask her, and it must be terrible 
to come back to teaching after just saying good¬ 
bye to your husband. But I imagine that she will 
tell us things after a while. Isn’t she a dear?” 

On the next morning, the returned teacher met 
her classes as usual, a group of friendly girls 
clustering around her desk before the first recita¬ 
tion. A little before the second bell, one of the 
senior girls came in, her finger on a difficult line 
in Horace’s Satires, and said, “I simply can not 
understand, Dr. Carver, what he means!” 

“Dr. Carver!” 

“ 'Dr. Carver’, indeed, do you want to insult 
her?” 

The senior looked up wonderingly at the girls 
who thus exclaimed, for she was not conscious of 
having used the wrong name. Then she laughed. 
“Please forgive me, Miss West, I did not realize 
what I was saying. My mind was on those lines I 
could not get. Why) what is wrong now? You 
are all laughing!” 

Mrs. Norris laughed, too, patted the senior’s arm 
and said, “Never mind, you will get used to the 
change. I don’t mind at all. If you forget, you 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


39 


need not apologize, but try to get it right the next 
time. There is the bell. Take your seats, please.” 

No one would have known that Patricia West 
Norris had anything to worry over, and if there 
was any difference it was only that she was more 
inspiring. “I am a soldier's wife,” she said to 
Betty, as one day they clambered out over the rocks 
and sat viewing restless waters, floating clouds and 
flying gulls. “If he can go as cheerfully as they 
all are going, to face the guns, I certainly will have 
to live up to him. I shall want to be by myself a 
little, of course, to think and to write letters, but 
you girls are helping me very much, and I am not 
going to mourn till something happens, and I am 
hoping that nothing will. I shan’t pretend that it is 
easy, though.” 

Betty stroked her hand and they sat silently a 
little while. Betty had her own reasons for sober 
thoughts at times, but kept a bright face. 

“See, Mrs. Patty (which was Betty’s name for 
her), there is smoke coming from that little house 
over the cave, and somebody is out in a boat fishing. 
We were always going to investigate that place.” 

“It is probably the headquarters for some rough 
fishermen and you girls must keep away.” 

“Oh, yes, we will. I have certainly lost all 
curiosity about it, though it is more or less mys¬ 
terious. I’ll never get over wondering why Captain 
Holley was there and what was in the box and what 


40 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


he threw into the lake in such a hurry. It makes me 
think now of what the boys write about hand 
grenades and things.” 

“Did it explode?” 

“I couldn’t tell. We kept as still as mice. Isabel 
and I, until we thought the boat was far enough 
away for them not to see us. Even then we kept 
behind the bushes for a while and near the cliff as 
we went back to the Hall.” 

“What do your hear from Donald Hilton?” 

“Donald wrote me that he has a new kind of 
work, but couldn’t tell me just what it was for a 
while. It’s as bad as ‘Somewhere in France!’ We 
hardly know what the boys are doing! However, 
I’ve had long letters, from both Donald and my 
brother, telling me lots of things.” 

“It is pretty chilly out here,” remarked Mrs. 
Norris. “Suppose we go back and walk along the 
beach a while to stir us up before we go in.” 

“I am a little shivery,” acknowledged Betty, “for 
that wind is getting cold. But I love the water. I 
think that this is the most beautiful spot for a school 
that there could be. We just have everything — 
boating and riding, canoeing, the winter sports and 
all!” 

“There come the girls. I suspect that Cathalina 
is looking for you.” 

“I imagine that she is looking for you, too. When 





GREYCLIFF WINGS 


41 


I left she was working on a poster for the Latin 
Club. It meets tomorrow, doesn’t it?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then we are getting up a little stunt for society. 
All the clubs represented in the Whittier Society 
have to do something next time we meet. They 
may take it from what they have had in the regular 
club meeting, if they want to, but it is to be funny 
if possible. Isabel and Virgie are getting up a 
perfectly killing debate. Isabel’s ‘points’ are too 
funny for words. They don’t mean a thing, and 
she gets them off with all the oratorical agony she 
can put on. She goes all around the bush, tells 
what she is going to prove and doesn’t prove it. 
Eloise and I just lay back on the bed and laughed, 
when she was going over it in her room yesterday! 
They only have five minutes apiece, no rebuttals or 
anything, and I’m sure that the judges will decide 
in favor of Isabel, for Virgie declares that she can 
never get up anything as funny. She can think up 
points, though, and may capture the judges after 
all.” 

“Oh, here you are, folks!” 

Cathalina, with note book and pencil, approached 
Betty and and Mrs. Norris, while walking down 
the slope behind her came Isabel, Lilian, Juliet and 
Hilary. The girls all wore their bright sweaters 
and locks were flying in the wind. 

“How will this do for the announcement, Mrs. 


42 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


Norris?” Cathalina handed Patricia a slip of paper 
from which she read aloud 

“NOTA BENE 

SOCIETAS LATINA HODIE CONVENIT. 
VENITE, SOCII, VENITE. OMNES ADSINT. 
LINGUA LATINA IN LITERATURA, ETC. 
(Latin Club, Room 32, Today),” 

“Would you say ‘Societas Romana’ instead of 
‘Latina’?” asked Cathalina. 

“I believe I would. That is good, Cathalina. 
Translate it, Betty.” 

“Take notice. The Latin Club meets today. 
Come, friends—associates ?—companions ?—come. 
Let all be present. The Latin language in literature 
and so forth.” 

“What would Greycliff be in Latin, Mrs. 
Norris?” 

“Let me see. ‘Mons’, ‘collis’, ‘saxum’, ‘rupes,’— 
that is it, ‘rupes.’ Then ‘glaucus’ is blue-grey, 
sometimes silver-grey, or sea-green.” 

“Rupes, is feminine,” announced Eloise. “Q. E. 
D., Rupus Glauca, Greycliff!” Feminae Rupis- 
Glaucae sumus. Est optima schola omnium 
gentium!” 

“Mercy, Elo’, don’t go so fast; I can’t keep up 
with you!” cried Isabel. “We are the girls, or 

women, of Greycliff. It is-” 

“The best school in the world,” finished Eloise. 
“Cathalina found some Latin by Charles Lamb, 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


43 


giving some lines of ‘Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary' 
and ‘Little Jack Horner;' so two of the girls are 
going to dress up as children and recite them, and 
some others that Cathalina made up. Come on, 
Cathalina, cheer up your Latin teacher by reciting 
your latest masterpiece!” 

“Mercy, I Couldn’t before her.” 

“Just ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’!” 

“All right.” Cathalina dropped a little curtsey, 
put one finger to her mouth and took hold of her 
dress with the other hand. 

“Mana agnellum hafobat, 

Cujus vellus niveum erat; 

Et quacunque Maria. 

Iter facLbat, 

Agnellus eti am semper fbat.” 

“There is more, but I have forgotten it. You 
have to accent the T the first time in ‘Maria,' and 
the first ‘a' the second time, to get the right effect. 
The V is either long or short. 

“O, give us ‘Vetus Mater Hubbard ad armarium 
venit',” urged Isabel. 

“Can’t. I've forgotten it.” 

“Mrs. Norris was smiling over the fun. “Have 
you any serious Latin on your program?” 

“O, yes. Most of the program is serious. 
Dorothy has an article on the famous Latin Hymns 
and some girls are going to sing the Adeste Fideles. 
Then one of the Academy girls is going to recite 


44 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


the first part of Cicero’s First Oration against 
Catiline, and there are some other things,—historia, 
musica, scientia, et rnultae res de quibus dicere 
tempus non est!” 

“Listen to her!” exclaimed Isabel. 

“I’ve just been writing it out, you know,” 
apologized Cathalina. “Tomorrow, when we have 
composition, Mrs. Norris, I probably can’t think of 
a thing!” ‘ 

“Who is that waving out there?” inquired 
Pauline. 

The party all turned to look toward the lake. A 
boat was bobbing over the waves, and soon a voice 
called. Somebody was using a pair of long glasses 
and had discovered who they were. 

“They’re in sailor costume!” exclaimed Betty. 
“What do you think of that! It is Donald Hilton 
standing up there. I should think he would fall in!” 

A fine looking lot of sailors they were, rowing 
away. At a distance there was a small vessel from 
which they had come. Presently the boat came up 
to the dock, where by this time the whole party 
were waiting. The sailors rested on their oars, 
smiling in friendly fashion, while the officer in 
charge gave some order to Donald as he leaped out. 

“I’ve just about five minutes, folks,” said Donald, 
as he shook hands with one and another in turn. 
“Have I permission, Mrs. Norris?” 

“Just as long as you like, Mr. Hilton—I do not 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


45 


know your rank. I am only familiar with the in¬ 
fantry insignia.” 

“Not very far up yet, Mrs. Norris. What is the 

Doctor bv now?” 

* 

“A first lieutenant/’ 

“We’re doing a little scouting for Uncle Sam, 
and I got permission to stop here a few minutes 
to ‘see my folks’, or some of them.” Donald gave 
a whimsical glance at Betty. 

“I think I’ll give you a little opportunity to visit 
with Betty,” said Mrs. Norris. “Since you can 
have so short a time, we will shake hands again 
and wish you safety and success. Come again.” 

Mrs. Norris and the other girls drew away, walk¬ 
ing slowly along the beach in the direction of the 
school. It was quite marked, the appropriation of 
Betty, yet in those times a few precious moments, 
with friends perhaps so soon to go across, were of 
first importance. 

“Wasn’t that good of her? Betty, I’ve got your 
dear little picture safe in here,” and Donald patted 
the place where his heart was supposed to be. “I 
live on your letters, and haven’t been where I could 
get them for a week or two. We’re on a little detail 
with some secret service men. I can’t tell you about 
it now, and please don’t mention the secret service.” 

“I won’t,” said Betty, rather dazed. “Are you 
really here, or not?” 

“I am. This is me, in the language of the poet. 


46 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


We may be in these parts for a while, cruising 
around, and we may not. We are going to pretend 
to leave anyway, and you will see the old tub steam¬ 
ing away shortly. If I get a chance, I’m going to 
come again. Will you be glad to see me?” 

“Oh, yes, Donald, you know I will.” Betty did 
not know just how glad she would be the next time 
she was to see him. 

They sat down inside the little boat house, on 
one of the benches, and managed to say a good deal 
in the short time allotted them. The men in the 
boat, young men, all of them, talked, joked and 
sang while they waited. Finally the officer spoke to 
Donald, who said a last goodbye to Betty and 
climbed into the boat. Betty felt a little self-con¬ 
scious, but stood out on the dock, poised like a bird, 
as she waved to Donald. The sailor lads waved 
their caps as they pushed off, then bent to the task 
of rowing back to the ship. Their voices came back 
to her as they sang one of the old sailor chanteys, 
though these were mostly college boys, with little 
experience as yet except in rowing for the cham¬ 
pionship of their schools. 

Betty walked slowly away, looking back and out 
at the boat and small steamer. “Is this I, or isn’t 
it?” she thought. “Did anybody ever have such 
unusual things happen? Here came Donald, out of 
the lake, so to speak. Presto, a lot of good-looking 
boys like him, and a friendly officer, appear from 


r 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


47 


'the deep,’ serenade Donald and me and the girls, 
and row off again.’’ 

When Betty caught up with her friends, their 
comments were not unlike her own. "Betty’s al¬ 
ways having adventures,” said Isabel. "Here am 
I, longing for romance and adventure, and nothing 
happens.” 

"You were almost drowned last year,” suggested 
Betty. 

"Yes, but I was unconscious all the time I was 
being rescued and missed all the thrills.” 

"Mercy, child! You were welcome to all Cathalina 
and I had!” remarked Hilary. 

"If it had only been good form for Mrs. Norris 
and us girls to get acquainted with some of those 
nice boys in the boat, life would not seem so 
barren,” sighed Isabel, with pretended sorrow. 

"You very well know that you were the first to 
leave, and would have been horrified at the thought 
of talking to them!” exclaimed Cathalina, taking 
Isabel seriously. 

"Perhaps, gentle mentor,” said Isabel, putting 
her arm about Cathalina. 

» 

"I would not love a sailor lad, 

However bright his e’e; 

A deck would have his roving feet, 

No hearth-stane warm, with me!” 

"Set that to music, Lilian, and sing it to Betty.” 


48 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“Is that your own, Isabel?” 

“Yes. I thought it up while we were waiting for 
Betty. Donald is sort of Scotch, you know, so I 
put in ‘e’e’ and ‘stane’.” 

“It seems to be catching,” said Eloise. “Lilian 
and Cathalina are always making verses, and now 
Isabel.” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


41* 


CHAPTER IV. 

AGAIN THE GREYCLIFF GHOST. 

“Whither nOw, Lily Ann?” Diane was strolling- 
out of class room number five behind Lilian. 

“I don’t answer to that name,” replied Lilian, 
pausing, however, and linking her arm in that of 
Diane. “How becoming that crimson frock is.” 

“Do you like it?” 

“Yes. It matches your cheeks and brings out 
the shepherdess complexion.” 

“Shepherdess yourself, Lilian, and you have the 
golden locks as well. Going up to the library?” 

“Yes; I have to read a little for Lit. We have 
a perfectly terrible book to write on it, all our notes, 
in class and on our collateral reading. The first 
half has to be ready to hand in at the first of the 
second semester. I pity the girls who haven’t 
written up their notes right along.” 

“I was sorry that I did not take that advanced 
course in Literature. It wasn’t required, so I did 
not to try it. I have so much to make up, anyway* 
But your book prospect does not look so inviting,— 
I’m not so sorry after all.” 


50 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


The two girls were climbing the stairs of the 
library building, tripping up the wide steps with 
light feet. 

“Did you hear about the ghost ?” continued 
Diane. 

“No, is that the latest thrill?” 

“Yes; Greycliff’s old standby, the Woman in 
Black, has appeared again. One of the academy girls 
nearly went into hysterics the other night, they say, 
after she saw it, or thought she saw it. She said 
that it moaned and waved black arms, with [wide 
sleeves or something, and glided by as ghosts are 
supposed to glide, but very rapidly.” 

“I haven’t heard anything about the Woman in 
Black for some time. Let me see. It was Isabel 
that declared she saw it two or three years ago. 
How many times has it appeared this time?” 

“Several times, according to all accounts. There 
are all sorts of wild tales about it. One girl said 
that it started toward her, then turned back and 
just disappeared.” 

“Around a corner probably. If there is any ap¬ 
pearance of the sort, I’m sure it’s human. Some¬ 
body is trying to trick the girls. The other time, 
when we had such an excitement about it, Miss 
Randolph just put some extra folks on guard at 
night and there was no more ghost.” 

“All the same, the halls are sort of spooky at 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


51 


night, and I don't believe that I’ll watch for it. 
Diane is going to keep to her little cot!” 

“AH the more reason for that if it is human. Any 
account of its getting into the rooms, or has any¬ 
thing been stolen?” 

“One girl tells about seeing it standing over her 
bed, but I think that she was having a nightmare. 
She had heard about it and dreamed of it!” 

By this time the girls were in the library, where 
conversation was not desired. Lilian went to look 
over the reference books and Diane consulted the 
librarian about something. Isabel, Evelyn and 
Helen were sitting at one of the tables and nodded 
to the girls. Isabel was scribbling away for dear 
life, turning page after page of a tablet. Evelyn 
was drawing cartoons and showing them from time 
to time to Helen, who appeared much amused. 
Helen was reading, when not in consultation with 
Evelyn. Presently Lilian and Diane went over to 
the same table and drew up chairs. “What’s the 
fun?” whispered Diane. 

Helen smiled broadly, took the drawings from 
Evelyn and pushed them over to Diane and Lilian. 
The girls bent their heads over them. Isabel looked 
up, amused, and continued scribbling. The first 
picture was labeled “The Greycliff Ghost,” and 
showed a skeleton, clothed in filmy black, and bend¬ 
ing over a terrified girl in her cot. The covers were 
drawn up over the lower part of the girl’s face. 


-52 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


only the big eyes looking up at the ghost. The sec¬ 
ond picture was called ‘‘The Woman in Black and 
depicted a veiled figure in motion, arms stretched 
out before her, wide sleeves and draperies flying, 
the head wrapped in a veil, but showing a mask and 
two wild eyes. As the girls looked at these draw¬ 
ings, Evelyn, who was watching them, offered a 
piece of paper on which was printed “DO YOU 
BELIEVE IN GHOSTS?” 

Lilian promptly wrote her reply “No. Do You?” 

“YES. I’VE BEEN IN A HAUNTED 
HOUSE. LET’S TELL GHOST STORIES 
AFTER DINNER.” 

“All right, but people that believe in ghosts are 
likely to have bad dreams.” 

“WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU SAW, 
A GHOST?” 

This last query of Evelyn’s was passed around 
to the girls. Lilian wrote, “Watch it go by.” Diane 
wrote, “Run.” Isabel stopped her rapid note-taking 
long enough to answer, “Try one of the boys’ 
tricks,—stick out my foot to see if I could trip it.” 

“Diane’s answer is the only sensible one,” whis¬ 
pered Evelyn as she read the different replies. Tuck¬ 
ing away her pictures in her note book she pro¬ 
ceeded with the more serious work for which she 
had come to the library. The other girls were also 
absorbed in their books. But later, when they left 
the library for Greycliff Hall, there was laughter, 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


53 


and stories of mysterious doings were told. “Of 
course I believe in ghosts,” insisted Evelyn, who 
had never outgrown the coquettish ways and naive 
speech with which she had come to Greycliff. 
“Didn’t my mother’s old Mammy bring me up on 
‘ghos’es’ and ha’nts ? I never saw any, but she did.” 

“You just want to for the excitement of it,” 
said Isabel. “I wish the seniors would give Hamlet 
this spring, for their play, and let me play the part 
of the ghost.” 

“That isn’t much of a part,” said Lilian. “I 
should think you would want Hamlet.” 

“I would, but the seniors would want that them¬ 
selves. ‘To be or-r-r-r-r not to be. That iz-z-z-z-z 
the question!’ I heard an elocutionist do it that way 
once. What are you girls going to give for your 
senior play?” 

“We haven’t decided yet, but we thought of hav¬ 
ing it outdoors and giving ‘As You Like It’.” 

“That will be wonderful!” exclaimed Isabel. 
“There are so many places about the campus that 
would make a fine setting.” 

“Come around to our room after dinner for the 
ghost stories,” reminded Evelyn, as she and Diane 
left the other girls on their way to their respective 
rooms. Like Isabel and Virginia, Evelyn and Diane 
were occupying a large single room this year. But 
Greycliff seniors have not so much time for ghost 
stories and the like, and Evelyn herself, with her 





54 


GREYCL1FF WINGS 


knitting, was in the parlors after dinner, listening 
to some singing, and chatting to Isabel, Lilian, 
Hilary, Cathalina and Betty. 

“I believe that Evelyn has begun two or three 
sweaters,” said Isabel. “Which one is this for?” 

“Oh, I can't be partial, you know,” said Evelyn, 
smiling as she recovered a dropped stitch. “Geo'ge 
and Pehcy ah in the same company, and if I send 
one a sweatah I must send the otheh one, too. I 
did think that I would send this one to Cousin 
Francis,—I used to be engaged to him, you know. 
We ah only thi’d cousins.” 

“Which one are you engaged to now, Evelyn?” 
asked Isabel, adding hastily, “You need not answer 
that, of course. It is rude of me to ask.” 

“O, I don't mind,” said Evelyn, putting her hand 
on one side to survey the sweater which she held 
up to view. “Do you think that is big enough to 
go over the head?” 

“It looks pretty small to me,” said Cathalina. “Is 
he big or little?” 

“My head just comes to his shoulder. Yes, he 
is pretty big, Pehcy is.” 

“I wonder if that is my answer,” remarked Isabel 
to Cathalina. 

“No telling.” 

“Well, girls,” said Hilary, “I’d like to visit 
longer, but I have to get to work. I see a hectic 
evening before me. I don’t know when Eve been 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


55 


so behind with everything. I’ve been doing too 
much knitting and letter-writing, I am afraid. 
However, under the circumstances, I can’t regret it. 
Patriotism before everything!” 

“Are you sure that it was all patriotism, 
Hilary?” 

“Quite sure,” laughed Hilary. 

In Lakeview Suite there was, indeed, a busy 
group that evening. It happened to be near exam¬ 
ination time. Notes were being brought up to date. 
Exercise books in the languages were to be put 
into final shape. Eloise came in to consult Lilian 
about some exercises in Harmony, which both were 
taking, Lilian because she wanted to know how to 
write her little songs, and to catch up with Philip in 
his knowledge of the subject. The girls were all 
tired when the first bell rang, and Hilary sat, writ¬ 
ing on, without paying any attention. 

“You’ll be in the dark pretty soon, Hilary, unless 
you break rules,” remarked Lilian. 

“Don’t mind me,” said Hilary. “Put the lights 
out when the bell rings. I’ll just write till then; 
I’m almost through. Then I’ll use my flash light 
when I get ready for bed.” 

Finally, darkness descended upon the suite, and 
Hilary, her head aching a little, tossed and turned, 
till finally she wandered off into a dream with 
Campbell Stuart, both on a vessel, on the way to 
France, and watching a submarine whose periscope 



56 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


had just appeared close by. In the middle of the 
night she woke, consumed by thirst, and reaching 
under her pillow for her flashlight, slipped quietly 
out of the room after some water. 

Just outside of her door she paused and started 
a little, for around the corner came a ghostly figure, 
looking very much as Evelyn had pictured the 
“Woman in Black.” There were two corridors run¬ 
ning at right angles to Lakeview Corridor, and it 
was from one of these, in the direction of which 
Hilary was headed, that the ghost came. And, with¬ 
out warning, from the other direction, which 
Hilary, though not the ghost, could see, came 
running another figure with flying hair, light slip¬ 
pers and pale kimono. 

“Two ghosts,” thought Hilary. 

It all happened so quickly that Hilary could not 
have prevented it even had she been able to recover 
from her surprise. The “Woman in Black” saw 
Hilary, without doubt, for she waved her hands and 
moaned, a high quaver of ghostly sound. And 
right at the corner, plump into the Woman in Black, 
ran the other flying figure,—bump! 

It was Evelyn’s face that turned toward Hilary. 
The black form recovered from the shock and sped 
on, but dropped a little roll of papers and, with an 
exclamation, turned and came back. Evelyn 
hastened to pick up the papers first,—Evelyn, who 
was afraid of ghosts! 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


57 


“Give them to me at once!” demanded the 
“ghost” in a hissing whisper. 

Evelyn unrolled the papers in the dim light of 
the hall and showed no intention of hurrying. Im¬ 
patiently the black ghost snatched at the little 
bundle, but Evelyn put it behind her back at first, 
then with a bow held it out,—“Your property, I 
believe,—Louise Holley!” 

The “Woman in Black” angrily pulled away and 
disappeared down the hall. Evelyn leaned up 
against the wall and looked after her, while Hilary 
moved toward her, saying gently, in little more 
than a whisper, “Evelyn.” 

“Is that you, Hilary?” asked Evelyn, in evident 
relief. “Did you see that performance? I suppose 
Louise has been out to meet that precious brother 
of hers. That is why she is staging the ghost act. 
How do you happen to be on hand?” 

“I woke up and perishing with thirst, or was. I 
declare I was so taken by surprise that I forgot 
what I was up for.” 

“It’s that ham, that grand baked ham we had for 
suppeh. I was so thihsty too, that I just had to 
have a drink and we forget to get any watch for the 
room, as we usually do.” 

“So did we.” 

“I happened to think about the ghost stories after 
I was in the hall, and put on speed just in time to 




58 GREYCLIFF WINGS 

run into the actual ghost! Honestly, I’m shaking 
all oveh!” 

“You did not act afraid.” 

“I wasn’t. No ghost is as solid as what I ran 
into.” Evelyn chuckled. “It was the shock, and 
being afraid that I would meet a ghost, a real one.” 

“Do you still believe in that kind?” 

“I must say that my faith is shaken. Didn’t 
Louise look like the real thing though as she dis¬ 
appeared?” 

“She looked like a bad spirit all right. Some of 
the lights in the hall have been turned out. Did you 
notice that?” 

“I think they always do it.” 

“Yes, but they always leave enough to make a 
little light, and you can’t see any toward Louise’s 
room.” 

“She must have done it on purpose. My, how mad 
she was when I would not hand her, her papers.” 
They were little diagrams, Hilary. What do you 
suppose that means.” 

“I think that Miss Randolph ’d better send her 
away again. That is what I think. Shall we tell 
her?” 

“Let’s sleep on it. Take me back to my room, 
will you, Hilary?” 

“Don’t lose your courage now, when you were so 
brave.” 

“I always do when I have somebody to lean on. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


59 


I ought to have a lot of responsibility put on me, I 
reckon.” 

“You nice little thing!” exclaimed Hilary, 
patting Evelyn’s shoulder. “Let’s get a good drink 
first.” 

“All right. I could drink all the wateh there is! 
Let it run and run to get fresh and ice-cold!” 

All this conversation was carried on in subdued 
tones. Evelyn decided that she would show her 
bravely by going back to her room alone, but 
Hilary paused at the parting of the ways and 
watched her scampering through the corridor to 
her room, which she entered, after giving one hasty 
backward glance to make sure that no ghost or 
human was entering behind her. 


60 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


CHAPTER V. 

SENIOR BASKET-BALL. 

Upon returning to her room, Hilary was too 
wide-awake to sleep and dropped upon the window- 
seat in the dark study room, drawing around her 
Cathalina’s steamer rug which happened to be there. 
The wind was sighing through the trees. She could 
hear the sound of the waves upon the beach not far 
away, and another louder sound came from the lake 
as well, that of some motor. “A boat or a plane,” 
thought Hilary, looking out through tree-tops, “I 
believe it is a plane. Perhaps they are trying out 
the hydro-planes though it is rather late for that.” 
Just then there came a flash from where the shore 
line was located. “A search-light,” was Hilary’s 
thought, but no steady sweeping light continued, 
only two or three flashes. Hilary leaned out of the 
window, looked in all directions and was rewarded 
by seeing dim flashes far down the lake. Two or 
three times the signals were repeated, then no more. 

For five or ten minutes, Hilary still sat by the 
window thinking over the occurrences of the night, 
then went to the table where her own clock was still 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


61 


ticking out the hours, so carefully watched that 
evening when they were hurrying their lessons 
through. Flashing her light on its familiar face, 
she read that it was one o’clock, yawning a little, 
she stole gently back into her bedroom without 
waking Lilian, tucked a comfortable pillow under 
her head, threw back her heavy brown braids to a 
position where they would not annoy her, and was 
soon in a dreamless sleep. 

But Hilary had come to a decision while she sat 
looking out of the window. Whatever it was in 
which Captain Holley was concerned, it was evident 
that Louise was meeting him and was taking ad¬ 
vantage of the old tradition to play the ghost and 
make the girls afraid to go through the halls at 
night. It was no single prank to be winked at. 
Miss Randolph should know the whole story from 
beginning to end. 

In the morning, therefore, the performances of 
the night were related to an interested audience of 
three, as the girls of Lakeview Suite dressed for 
breakfast, and Hilary said that she had determined 
to tell Miss Randolph. “What do you think, girls ?” 
she asked. 

“You are right, Hilary,” said Lilian, without 
hesitation. 

“Are you going to tell her about me, too?” asked 
Betty, “and the cave, and everything?” 

“Yes, unless you have some objection.” 



62 


GRETCLIFF WINGS 


“Not a bit.” 

“I wish you would go with me, Cathalina, and 
I want to get Evelyn to support my evidence about 
last night. I think it is our business as seniors to 
stop this affair of coming and going at night.” 

“Louise will be furious.” 

“Louise isn’t any too safe herself.” 

“I shall be glad to go, Hilary. I have felt like 
speaking to Miss Randolph about several things 
before this.” 

But it was easier to make a decision than to carry 
it out, where other persons were concerned. Scarcely 
had Cathalina finished speaking, when there came a 
quick rap at the door, and, upon invitation, Louise 
herself came in. Looking from one to another, she 
saw knowledge written on the faces of all and 
hastened to make her appeal. “Say, Hilary,” she 
began, “you are not going to tell Miss Randolph, 
are you, about my playing the ghost? Please don’t!” 

“I made up my mind to do that very thing,” said 
Hilary, her face flushing with the effort of doing 
a disagreeable thing. “I didn’t think that you 
should be allowed to go on with this sort of thing.” 

Louise burst into sudden tears. “I can’t see any¬ 
thing so dreadful about fooling the girls!” she said, 
as soon as she could control herself. 

“No, Louise, but I can’t feel that that is all there 
is to it. Now haven’t you been out to meet your 
brother again? I’d like to know what he is doing, 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


63 


too. It certainly looks queer to us girls that you 
find it necessary to meet your own brother in this 
way, when he can come to see you at any proper 
time. Have you a key to one of the doors ?” 

“It isn’t your business what I am doing!” 

“No, but I fancy that it is Miss Randolph’s, if 
you are disobeying such important rules. It is a 
matter of your own safety as well as ours. I don’t 
intend to do anything but inform Miss Randolph. 
She can use her own judgment.” 

Louise wore an ill and sullen look, then realized 
what it would mean if Hilary informed Miss 
Randolph, and began to cry once more. “I didn’t 
think that you were such a mean girl,—to tell!” 

“If I don’t, will you stop going out at night?” 

“What good would it do for her to promise us?” 
inquired Lilian with surprising bluntness. “We 
can’t sit up nights to see that she keeps her 
promise.” 

“Will you give me your key?” said Hilary. 

Louise hesitated. “Y-yes,” she said, “if you will 
not tell.” 

“Well, Louise, I’ve no desire to have you sent 
away, and I suppose that is what would happen. 
If you will give me your key and promise not to 
leave the hall at night, I will at least postpone telling 
Miss Randolph, and see what happens. There’ll 
be no more ‘Woman in Black’ nonsense, of 


course. 


64 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“All right. I suppose I’ll have to do it. Here is 
the key.” Louise handed Hilary a key, while the 
other girls looked at each other as if to say, “Funny 
that she had it all ready like that.” 

After the departure of Louise, Hilary sank into 
a rocking chair and dropped her hands in a gesture 
of helplessness upon her lap. “Did you ever!” 

“Crocodile tears!” exclaimed Betty. 

“Oh, her tears were genuine enough,” said Lilian, 
“and she got what she came for.” 

“I suspect I was a goose,” said Hilary, “but per¬ 
haps she will be good, and I hate to tell things that 
will send a girl away from Greycliff.” 

“Perhaps Evelyn will tell,” suggested Betty. 

“Louise is probably there now,” said Lilian. 

Sure enough, Evelyn came in a few minutes be¬ 
fore the breakfast bell to ask if Louise had been 
there. “She wept and carried on till I didn’t know 
what to do with her, and begged me not to tell any 
of the teachers. I was so provoked with her that 
I wouldn’t promise, but finally said that I would do 
whatever Hilary thought best. You ought to have 
seen the funny little smile she had when I said that. 
She just said, ‘Very well,’ and pretended to go out 
in a bad humor, but I could tell that she thought it 
would be all right.” 

“We’ll just let it go a while, Evelyn, and see. I 
didn’t promise never to tell.” 

On the bulletin board, as the girls went to break- 



GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


65 


fast, there had already been put up notices of a 
senior class meeting, a “short meeting” of the 
Whittier Society, and regular basket-ball practice. 

“You will have to have some one else take the 
minutes, Cathalina,” said Hilary, “for I can’t miss 
the practice.” 

“Of course not. My, I’m glad thajt you are play¬ 
ing this year, Hilary. Now we shall be sure to win 
the tournament. It was terrible that we lost that 
time when you did not play. Of course we can 
beat the academy classes and I’m not afraid of the 
juniors now. Do you remember how nearly we 
came to winning that first year?” 

“Indeed I do. How we worked! This will be my 
last year to play, though. Oh, of course, little 
games, perhaps, but I mean in competitive games 
of any consequence. We are getting in pretty good 
trim. You ought to see Juliet and Pauline make 
baskets. They almost never miss, if they have any 
kind of a chance.” 

“It is only a few days until the big affair comes 
off.” 

“Yes,—that was one reason why I didn’t want to 
have any trouble about Louise. I want to keep fit. 
I don’t feel any too lively today after last night’s 
late hours.” 

“Cut your last class this morning and take a little 
nap before lunch. I’ll wake you up.” 




66 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“Oh, no! I’ll get through all right. I’ll get to 
bed early.” 

For the next few days basket-ball was the chief 
topic of conversation at Greycliff. All the teams 
were “getting into shape,” as they said, and all the 
other girls were watching- practice or inquiring 
about it and trying to prove that their class had the 
best team in school. “Time will tell,” said Hilary. 
“I’m glad we have a referee that is so strict about 
the rules. If we win, it will be a real victory.” 
Hilary was captain again. 

“I declare, I don’t know which class I want to 
win,” said Isabel. “Of course, I want my own 
class to beat, but here are all your Psyche Club and 
Whittier chums in the senior class. Class spirit, 
however, is the thing in the tournaments,—hurrah 
for the junior collegiates!” 

“I remember your leading the yells, Isabel, for 
the junior academy class at our first tournament. It 
was too funny. Avalon led the singing. Who 
would have thought that such a little mouse as she 
seemed at first would be so lively? I suppose that 
the academy girls will make as much noise as we 
did.” 

“Are you going over for the Academy Tourna¬ 
ment tonight?” asked Isabel. There had been a 
meeting of the Psyche Club at the “Olympic Portal” 
and the girls were chatting on after adjournment. 

“Yes, indeed,” replied Hilary. “We want to see 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


G7 


:what our opponents can do, also get into the spirit 
of the game. All of us that are on the teams are 
going, and I guess that the other girls in our suite 
are going, aren’t you?” Hilary turned toward 
Cathalina and Betty, who stood near. “I know 
that Lilian is.” 

“Aren’t we what?” asked Betty. 

“Going to the Academy Tournament tonight. 
Old Hilary says that she wants to see her opponents, 
as if she were sure that it will be the senior col¬ 
legiate that will play the winning academy class.” 
Thus Isabel. 

“Too bad, Isabel, that you are a junior and can’t 
conscientiously root for us.” 

“She talks as if I wanted to,” and Isabel turned 
to Virgie in pretended indignation. 

There was great fun in the gymasium that night. 
“Susan’s Band” had been revived and marched in 
between games with much playing upon combs, tri¬ 
angles and other difficult instruments. Four 
different classes had their class songs, class yells and 
unrepressed enthusiasms. Miss Randolph, who was 
present from a sense of duty, fairly put her hands 
over her ears as applause mingled with the closing 
strains and clashes from “Susan’s Band.” This was 
a longer performance than the contest between the 
junior and senior collegiates would be. That was 
to take place in a few days, provided no accident to 
the chief performers occurred tonight, to postpone 


69 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


the event of the contest between the winning 
academy team and that of the collegiates. But it 
was best to have the collegiates meet in battle early, 
for they too, might need time for recovery. 

It was always determined by lot how the classes 
were to play. This time the freshmen, academy, 
met the sophomores and defeated them in a close 
game. The seniors and juniors played against each 
other, the juniors defeated. Both games were ex¬ 
citing, the scores nearly even. But the last game, 
between the exicted little freshmen and the seniors 
was easily won by the senior class, with a score 
rather humiliating to the freshmen, but on the 
whole they were pleased to have been in the final 
game at all. 

“It will be the seniors against seniors,” whispered 
Pauline to Juliet, who smiled at her and said, 
“Mayhap it will.” 

Several days later, the gymnasium was again the 
scene of a real contest between the two collegiate 
classes. The seats were full of interested spectators 
from all the classes, academy and collegiate. Many 
of the teachers were there and some of the faculty 
wives who lived at Greycliff Heights. There was 
no uproar, the two classes contenting themselves 
with a few yells given at especially appropriate 
times, and the more dignified class songs of the upper 
classes, if any of the class songs can be called such 
at all. Very little nervousness, if any, was shown 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


69 


by either team at first, and the game began with 
much skill in evidence. Hilary’s forces began with 
success in getting the ball, and keeping it against 
much interference; the seniors made one basket 
after another, and the score was all in their favor. 
Then luck turned. Calamity of calamities, it was 
Juliet who fumbled and lost the ball to a junior, 
who tossed it some distance to a girl under their 
basket,—into which it went in a jiffy. After the 
ball was tossed, the juniors were again in possession. 
How the senior girls worked to get a chance once 
more, and when one of the juniors missed a basket 
it was a senior girl who captured the ball. Fast 
and furious waxed the efforts. For some time 
nobody could make a basket for the successful in¬ 
terference of opposing forces. But at last it was 
the senior class which was victorious, and as 
Pauline had said, it would be the seniors against 
the seniors in the final tournament. 

The greatest interest, perhaps, centered in the 
first tournaments, for the academy classes were 
more interested in beating each other than in trying 
to win over the collegiates, while the senior and 
junior collegiates felt more eagerness to win from 
each other. However, at the last tournament the 
collegiate class always felt that they would be dis¬ 
graced if beaten by the academy, a thing which 
rarely happened. The academy class which won in 
the academy tournament felt, moreover, that they 




70 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


must at least have a respectable score, and make it 
as hard as possible for their opponents to win. Then 
there was always the possibility of victory. 

The senior academy of this year was especially 
good. Their team was made up of experienced 
players; their captain was a girl of good judgment 
and ability. 

“Now, girls,” said Captain Hilary, “Don’t 
imagine that we have already won this game. It 
may be close however. Remember how well these 
girls play. I feel sure that we can win if we are 
not over-confident and think that we need not play 
our best. Remember to keep your wits about you 
and feel that the game depends on how well each of 
you plays. I don’t think that this other team will 
try anything but straight, clean basket-ball, and let 
us be as careful. Look out that your interference 
is within rules.” 

The senior collegiates had a little advantage over 
the other team in poise, but the academy girls were 
fast and eager. The game began under the close 
attention of a very much interested audience com¬ 
posed of the whole school, teachers, and as many 
visitors as the collegiate contest had boasted. The 
shrill whistle of the referee sounded “ever and 
anon,” as Isabel said to Cathalina, next to whom 
she sat, with a firm grip on Cathalina’s hand, which 
she clutched in her excitement. Cathalina said 
afterward that she could have shut her eyes and 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


71 


known how the game was going from Isabel’s grip 
and exclamations. This time, as a collegiate, Isabel 
had her heart with Hilary’s team. Isabel had grown 
out of the noisy period, but in tones loud enough 
to be heard by Cathalina, and by Virgie, on the 
other side of her, Isabel’s conversation ran on with 
the game. “O, get the ball, Hilary! That’s fine. 
Oh, mercy, she is going to try the basket herself 
instead of giving it to Pauline—she never can make 
it at that distance!” Quick withdrawal of Isabel’s 
hand from Cathalina’s, as with the rest of the 
audience she applauded Hilary’s placing the ball in 
the basket from an awkward position. “That was 
great! A few more plays like that—sakes, we’ve 
lost the ball now. How in the world did that 
happen! That guard ought not to have been there! 
Good work, Juliet. Another basket! For pity’s 
sake, keep the ball. Pshaw, what a fumble! Jump 
for it girlie. There,—our ball. Good play. But 
they are pretty good at keeping our girls from 
making a basket. ‘Toot-toot,’ time’s up.” 

Cathalina turned laughing to Isabel. “You need 
a rest as much as the team, Isabel. Virgie, did you 
ever see anybody as tense ? I begin to get that way, 
too, but I don’t dare; it makes me almost sick.” 

Virginia assented. “I have to hold myself in 
hand, too, but it doesn’t make Isabel sick. She 
thrives on excitement. She will go right to sleep 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


tonight, while I will be seeing the game for half an 
hour at least. How much are we ahead?” 

“Not enough to feel easy about for the rest of 
the game,” said Isabel. “I’ve got to work just as 
hard the rest of the time,” she added, with a whim¬ 
sical smile. 

“How did it ever happen that you did not play 
basket-ball on one of the teams?” asked Virginia. 

“Promised my father and Jim that I wouldn't.” 

“Aren’t they interested in athletics?” 

“The boys play everything, but Father and Jim 
said I shouldn’t except in just ordinary games, like 
the regular practice we used to have at camp. I 
have to display my prowess in the water sports.” 

“You shine there, Isabel,” said Virginia. 

“But at that I had to be rescued by Cathalina last 
year.” 

“That was because you were hit by that log or 
whatever it was.” 

“Just the same, I would have drowned, like any¬ 
body that couldn’t swim, if it hadn’t been for her. 
Here they come. Now for the tug of war!” 

But in this last half of the game the senior col- 
legiates had no trouble, apparently, in walking off 
with the honors. Anticipating a close struggle, 
they made a great effort to hold the ball, and did 
brilliant playing when it came to baskets, receiving 
enthusiastic applause. This rather discouraged the 
younger seniors, who were tired and beginning to 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


73 


feel the excitement. For them, everything seemed 
to go wrong, as it sometimes does. When they had 
the ball, somebody would fumble, or the inter¬ 
ference kept them from accomplishing anything. 
The game closed with a good score in favor of the 
senior collegiates. But they joined with the 
audience in giving the senior academy yell, and 
heartily returned the generous congratulations, 
which the losing team offered them, with many a 
warm statement about how good a game they had 
played. 

Lilian, Eloise and several others of the guitar 
and mandolin club had brought their instruments 
to help lead the singing of Greycliff songs at the 
beginning of the tournament or contest, and now 
escorted the winning team home with much strum¬ 
ming and singing. Just before entering the solemn 
doors of Greycliff Hall, the players lined up and 
gave the senior yell with great spirit: 

'‘Seniors ’rah! Seniors ’rah! ’Rah-rah, Seniors 
Col-le-gi-ate!” 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


74 


CHAPTER VI. 

THE RUSTLING OF WINGS. 

“No Ice Carnival, girls/’ mourned Betty. “Of 
course we’ll not have any with just those infants 
at Grant Academy this year.” 

“All the more time for other things, then,” said 
Eloise. “It will be warm before we know it. I 
have so many things to do, that if I stopped to 
count them up I would have to leave school in self 
defense! There is doing our ‘bit’ with the knitting 
and everything right along, of course, and I want 
to have time for canoeing and the other athletics 
this spring. Hilary, I am going to have as long a 
bird list as you, or perish in the attempt! Isabel, 
our canoe is going to beat in the senior-junior race.” 

“Is it?” inquired Isabel in a tone which implied 
doubt. “Try it.” 

Isabel was taking a butterfly pin out of a tiny 
box. She was the secretary and treasurer of the 
Psyche Club, and had ordered this pin for Betty, 
who had lost hers several months before. Not a 
whole year, her senior year, could she do without 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


75 


her butterfly pin, which stood for so much of Grey- 
cliff happiness and delightful friendship. 

“How did Betty happen to lose her pin?” asked 
Eloise. “I wonder where it could be.” 

“That is what Betty wonders. She doesn’t even 
know when it was lost, because, you know we keep 
our pins pinned on something for days at times. 
She thought that she took it off a wool frock to pini 
on a silk one, but she has hunted her dresses over, 
besides bureau drawers and every crack about the 
suite.” 

It seemed that Greycliff days had wings. The 
girls complained that teachers in every course 
demanded more and more. “Patty thinks that we 
are taking nothing but her Latin and English,” re¬ 
marked Cathalina, “and Dr. Carver is going to 
have us cover more ground this year in what is col¬ 
lege Sophomore Latin than any class ever did. She 
said so! But she actually complimented the class on 
doing it, can you imagine it, Isabel?” 

“I can not. I should pass into unconsciousness 
if I heard anything of the sort from her. But I am 
sorry for her. She had an awful time at first be¬ 
cause she studied in Germany and couldn’t believe 
that they started things, and then she was more 
than half in love with Prof. Schaefer they say, and 
mad because the girls didn’t sign up for German, 
but after a talk with Miss Randolph she came 





76 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


around and there has been a distinct coolness be¬ 
tween her and Prof. Schaefer of late.” 

“Really, Isabel?” asked Hilary. “Cathalina and I 
once thought that it would be a match.” 

“Once Miss Randolph told me a little about her 
life, girls,” said Cathalina, “and she has had a 
pretty hard experience. Miss Randolph said. It did 
not make me think any more of her methods, but 
has helped me to stand it. And she certainly does 
know what she is talking about. There are lots 
of different people in this world, aren’t there? I 
don’t suppose I would have known it if I hadn’t 
come to Greycliff, but it will make me interested in 
people outside the family circle now.” 

“To go back to our work,” said Hilary, “our 
music director says that there never has been such 
a concert as he expects to have the girls give this 
Commencement, when all the parents and every¬ 
body can be here. The practice is taking a good 
deal of time, but it is such fun! There is the Glee 
Club and the double quartette and the orchestra— 
all practicing the most beautiful things! Lil is to 
sing as her second number one of her own songs, 
and Phil is writing the accompaniment for her now, 
in between times at camp. Aunt Hilary is coming 
this time to see her little namesake perform!” 

“O, I heard a red-winged blackbird today, girls,” 
said Juliet, “down by the river near that place where 
the cat-tails grow. They will be nesting there.” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


77 


“That is fine,” said Hilary. “I must go down 
there; I haven’t one on my list yet. I was just 
thinking of how wonderful it all is this morning 
when I first woke up. I heard a bluebird and a 
robin singing, and I began to think about all the 
wings starting North on the spring migration. The 
Bible says something about the land of the ‘rustling 
of wings’ and that is what is happening now. Can’t 
you imagine how it is, some warm night when the 
wood warblers are flying,, tiny little things with 
their weeny wings, and then the big birds, like the 
water birds. Then—presto—the sun comes up and 
lights up all the bright colors, the scarlet tanager 
and the rose-breasted grosbeak, the indigo bunting 
and the blue-bird, the orange and black of the Black¬ 
burnian warbler, the cardinal,—come on, I’m going 
to get my glass and go down to the beach!” 

“All right, Hilary, but remember that your flight 
of imagination looked forward into May. Don’t 
expect to find a rose-breasted grosbeak this after¬ 
noon.” 

“No. Isabel, my imagination is subject to a little 
common sense. Where’s my note-book, Lilian?” 

“I put it with mine, right on the book-shelf by 
our geology notes. If you will wait a few minutes 
till I get this letter to Phil finished, I will come too.” 

“If it is not too long,” replied Hilary, “but I 
know what happens when you strike a new vem of 
thought and remember some more things to tell 




78 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


him. Isabel, you might tell Virgie that we are 
going out to see what we can see. Perhaps she 
will want to go, too.” 

The work of the field classes began a little later 
than usual that spring. Hilary, because her work 
and interest in this line had been a little more per¬ 
sistent than that of any others, was put in charge 
of one bird section. The classes went out in small 
groups, from the very nature of the study, for few 
birds would be seen by any large company, except 
at a distance. Cathalina’s generosity had long since 
supplied the “bird library” with the finest reference 
books and some strong field glasses and binaculars. 
A number of the girls had their own glasess, rang¬ 
ing in power from that of an opera glass to the 
strong lenses of various sorts. Outside of Lake- 
view Suite, probably the most enthusiastic bird 
“hunters” were Eloise and Isabel, and in friendly 
fashion, whenever any one saw a new bird for the 
season, word was passed around. Isabel dubbed 
her particular section “The Stealthy Prowlers.” 

By the time the girls were ready to go to the 
beach, the party numbered six, Hilary and Eloise in 
the lead, Betty and Cathalina strolling along to¬ 
gether, Isabel conducting an investigation by her¬ 
self, and Lilian running down the hill last. 

“It almost too windy to see anything today,” 
said Isabel, looking at the scudding grey clouds 
above tossing waters. 






GREYCLIFF WINGS 


79 


“Let’s start up along the river. The little birds 
will hide away from the wind and the banks there 
along under the woods ought to have a number of 
good ‘finds.’ We ought to see some sandpipers there 
if nothing else. How chilly those gulls look. Some 
day we’ll row out to the breakwater and take down 
the different varieties we always see there every 
spring.” 

“The Island is better, if you are willing to wait 
until the first picnic.” 

Betty was looking off to see if by any chance the 
same government boat which had brought Donald 
before might appear upon the horizon. So sudden¬ 
ly had he come before, that she was prepared for 
anything. But no smoke from passing steamer 
could be seen in any direction. 

“Poor old Betty,” said Eloise, with a little smile. 
“ ‘He cometh not, she said, I’m a-weary, a-weary,’— 
Tennyson!” 

“My bonny is over the ocean,” began Lilian, 
then with a sober look added, “‘They’ll all be over 
soon enough!” 

Betty did not mind the teasing, but blew a kiss 
in fun out to the waves, and turned with the rest 
where the little river joined the lake. They picked 
their way along over wet sand and mud in places, 
as at times they were forced to ascend the bank. 

“Here’s where the doughty Cathalina and Hilary 
rescued the sinking Isabel,” said Eloise, as they 




so 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


passed the famous spot 4 ‘More than once have I 
had it pointed out to me. In after years, when 
Isabel is famous for,—what are you going to be 
famous for, Isabel?” 

“Debating in Congress,” replied Isabel without 
hesitation. 

“All right,—in after years when the famous 
Senator Isabel Hunt startles the country with her 
eloquence, Greycliff will put a tablet here,-” 

“And on it will be written,” continued Betty in 
grandiloquent style, ‘Saved for Greycliff and her 
country’!” 

“Sh-sh!” whispered Isabel. “I saw something 
fly up stream, and I heard a spotted sandpiper call.” 

The girls stopped to listen. The lyre-like notes 
of a red-winged black-bird came first to their ears, 
then a meadow lark sang from the fields behind 
Greycliff. A few grackles flew down to the river’s 
edge and walked in dignified fashion near the 
shallows. 

“O, look!” exclaimed Cathalina, pointing to a 
little hollow ahead of them. “We shall find some 
anemones and blood root there I’m sure. Don’t 
you remember last year they were there, and just 
beyond is that lovely violet patch, if they are out 
yet.” 

“Wait a minute, Cathalina, said Hilary in a low 
tone, “what is that scratching away in those leaves? 
Could it be the ground robins?” 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


81 


The glasses were all focused upon the little hol¬ 
low before them, Hilary’s face growing brighter as 
she watched. She and Eloise turned to each other 
and in one breath whispered “Fox sparrows!” 

“I’m so glad,” whispered Lilian. “I missed seeing 
them last year, for some reason. Look, there is a 
flock of them.” Several more of the pretty brown 
sparows flew from across the river and joined those 
which the girls were watching. 

“Can’t he scratch for a living, though?” re¬ 
marked Isabel pointing to one that was making the 
leaves fly. “See him fly around with that reddish 
tail. What’s that little chap over there?—Oh, a jun- 
co. You are very pretty, sir, but I’ve got you on my 
list already and I am seeking other prey! However, 
I like your pink bill and your black hood and 
mantle.” 

Just at that point, Betty lost her footing and 
stepped sidewise into a pool of water, exclaiming a 
little over her wet feet. With a little whir, the fox 
sparrows, and a small flock of juncos which had 
been hidden from sight, rose from the old leaves and 
fresh green of the new plants to fly away. But from 
across the stream there came a clear little carol 
which was some fox sparrow’s “goodbye,” so 
Cathalina said. 

“I had no idea that there were so many juncos 
there,” said Lilian. I was watching the fox spar- 




82 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


rows when all at once those whisking 1 white tail 
feathers came into view.” 

“It’s the vesper sparrow that has those white 
feathers on the sides of the tail, too,—isn’t it, 
Hilary?” asked Betty. 

“Yes, and other birds, too, but it is easy at a 
quick glance to identify these little birds that way 
as they fly.” 

“You’d better get back to the Hall, Betty,” said 
Cathalina. “We don’t want any cases of tonsilitis 
in Lakeview Suite. Come on, want a hand up?” 

“No, thanks, Cathie, I’m still able to climb up a 
hillside.” 

The girls scrambled up the hillside that led to the 
wood, while as they did so, Lilian called their atten¬ 
tion to the sound of an airplane humming above 
them. “Another kind of a bird,” said she, “a hum¬ 
ming bird.” 

“More like a night hawk,” said Isabel, “circling 
around up there. Somebody is practicing. Perhaps 
it is the hydroplane.” 

“Oh, no. That is a regular plane,—see?” 

Out over the lake, back over the fields behind 
Greycliff, out of sight up river, behind the woods, 
appearing again and coming toward them, then 
turning away in the direction of “White Wings,” 
the plane finally disappeared entirely from view. 

“I suppose it is from one of the aviation fields,” 
said Lilian. “I haven’t gotten used to them yet. I’m 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


82 


so glad that Phil isn’t in the aviation. It’s just as 
dangerous practicing as it is in battle/’ 

“Oh, no, not quite,” said Isabel. “There are a 
few more chances to fall under fire. There’s where 
I’d be if I were a soldier, sailing over the clouds,” 
and Isabel’s hand made all sorts of gyrations in il¬ 
lustration. 

The girls became rather more sober in the 
thoughts of their brothers and friends that came to 
them with the suggestions of aviation and the 
camps. They hurried toward and into the Hall, 
Betty to change her shoes, and the other girls to 
hunt up the evening papers with the latest news 
from the front. Mail, also, was delivered, and 
Lilian received a long package from the camp where 
Philip was located. 

“It’s the music manuscript, Hilary; let’s go into 
the society hall and try it over before dinner. I 
am crazy to see what sort of an accompaniment Phil 
has written. O, dear! If I could only hear him 
play it!—His beautiful hands and voice,—some¬ 
times, Plilary, I think I can’t stand having him go 
to France and maybe-” 

“Don’t say it, Lilian,” said Hilary, with a tender 
and understanding look. “We have to meet it. 
Someway I think our boys will come back.” 

Lilian looked at Hilary’s sweet, strong face and 
felt comforted by her friend’s faith. 




84 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


CHAPTER VII. 

THE NIGHT HAWK. 

Real night hawks fly by day as well as by night. 
It is not unusual to hear and see one as it circles 
over the city at near noon and calls its loud 
“Kee-ou.” And at night many a tempting insect, 
fit for a night hawk’s menu, flutters about the city 
lights. The name, then, which Isabel had given to 
the aeroplane was not so inappropriate. ‘‘There’s 
the Night Hawk,” she would say when the droning 
sound was heard. Whether there was only one 
plane, which chose this neighborhood for its 
manoeuvers, or several they did not know. 

Greycliff girls were more busily occupied than 
ever, it seemed. The seniors were practicing and 
learning parts for the senior play, planning a Col¬ 
legiate Field Meet with the juniors, preparing for 
final examinations, paddling, rowing, having beach 
parties, and rushing out at odd times to see the 
wood warblers, which were going through or stop¬ 
ping to nest there. 

One afternoon about four o’clock, Betty, Isabel 
and Pauline were over in the meadows which 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


85 


stretched away from the foot of “high hill,” having 
been lured there by an ever-disappearing warbler, 
which would sing its little song and then fly to 
some farther perch. Now the song came from a 
little clump of bushes and small trees in the center 
of an expanse of meadow land. 

“Oh, I wish it would be a chat,” sighed Isabel. 

“It can’t be,” said Betty. “Its song is more like 
that of a myrtle warbler.” 

“If it is a myrtle warbler, after all this chase, I 
shall be all out of patience,” declared Isabel. “Every 
other warbler I’ve seen is a myrtle warbler or a 
chestnut-sided! Hilary has seen ten different kinds 
already!” 

“Listen, girls,” said Pauline, “there’s the plane 
right over us.” 

Betty and Isabel looked up. “The Night Hawk,” 
said Isabel. “Why, there’s something the matter; 
it’s coming down!” 

“Perhaps it’s just landing,” suggested Betty. 
“This is a good place.” 

Realizing that they might be in the way, they 
scurried for safety’s sake to the little clump which 
they had been watching, and stood there to see the 
aeroplane land. 

“There are two men!” said Pauline in surprise, 
as the aviators climbed out and one of them began 
to adjust something about the plane. “I’d like to 
turn the field glasses that way. I wonder if I 




85 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


couldn’t be looking at a meadow lark or something 
and accidentally swing the glasses around toward 
them!” 

“I fear that it would not be very polite,” said 
Betty, laughing, “and I imagine that the better part 
of valor would be for us to start for the Hall.” 

But no sooner had Betty spoken than they ob¬ 
served the idle aviator in the act of turning a field 
glass in their direction. A look seemed to satisfy 

o 

him, for he touched his helmet in salute, and came 
hurrying over the grass toward them. 

“What shall we do?” asked Betty. 

“Wait and see who he is. He might be Donald.” 

“No, it isn’t Donald at all,—it looks like,—it is— 
Oh, dear, help me to be polite, girls!” 

“How fortunate I am,” said Captain Holley, as 
he came up to the girls. “My friend was taking me 
for my first ride in an aeroplane and something 
about it was not just right. I was quite glad to reach 
terra Urma in safety. I suppose this is part of a 
bird class?” The captain was assuming all the dig¬ 
nity and patronage which as a teacher in a neigh¬ 
boring school he could take. 

“Yes, Captain Holley,” replied Isabel, with re¬ 
markable meekness. “We were looking for a 
warbler and found a night hawk instead,—I have 
called this plane that we hear occasionally the ‘night 
hawk’,” she added on noticing that Captain Holley 
looked a little taken aback and startled. “Is it an 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


87 


army plane?’' she continued, not thinking that as 
an 'enemy alien’ he would not be permitted to ride 
in one. 

"No, not exactly,” replied Captain Holley. "A 
friend of mine is experimenting. By the way, Miss 
Betty, do you know whether our young friend 
Donald Hilton has gone across yet?” 

"No, I think not, but I think that he is to sail soon 
with one of the convoys.” 

"Do you know the vessel on which he will sail?” 
continued Captain Holley pleasantly and with an 
air of slight preoccupation, as he looked back at the 
plane and the busy aviator. Isabel nugged Betty at 
this juncture, and replied for her: 

"Oh, none of the boys know what vessel they are 
to go on or when, you know.” 

Captain Holley, with perfect poise, paid no atten¬ 
tion to Isabel’s reply, but looked inquiringly at the 
young lady whom he had addressed. Betty 
hesitated. "I have not heard for some time, but he 
wrote that he was hoping to go over before long. 
I know nothing definite.” 

"Perhaps Donald will be back to see his friends 
before he goes,” suggested Captain Holley. 

"I do not know as to that,” said Betty. "When 
men are in the army their time is not their own. 
Do not the people at Grant hear from their boys?” 

"Sometimes,” assented Captain Holley. 

The girls began to move off and Captain Holley 


88 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


managed to fall in by Betty and to detain her a 
little, while the other girls had no choice but to go. 
in advance, though slowly. 

“May I call some evening, Miss Betty ?” asked 
Captain Holley. 

“Certainly,” said Betty, who did not know how 
to get out of it, and felt that for some unknown 
reason she must keep this young instructor in a 
good humor. 

“By the way,” said the young man, after he had 
thanked Betty and said that he would be over some 
time soon, “I found something which interested 
me very much the other day.” Unbuttoning his 
outer coat a little way, he touched, upon the lapel 
of the coat beneath, a little butterfly pin. 

“O!” exclaimed Betty, “my butterfly pin!” 

“But you have one,” smiled Captain Holley, but-' 
toning his outer coat again. 

“I had to send for another, Oh, you wouldn't 
keep my pin, Captain Holley! Why, it has my name 
on it, and everything. Please!" 

But the captain merely smiled, made her a bow, 
and went back with rapid steps to the aeroplane 
whose aviator was beckoning. 

“What do you think, girls!” exclaimed Betty. 
“He has my butterfly pin and wouldn’t give it to 
me!” 

“Why, the idea!" exclaimed Pauline. 

“That is certainly the limit!” said Isabel. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


89 


“And worst of all he was wearing it right on the 
lapel of his coat for everybody to see, and some of 
the boys over there know all about our Psyche 
Club” 

“I saw him fixing something before he started 
over toward us,” said Pauline. “I imagine he was 
putting it there. I don’t think that for his own 
sake he would wear it around there at Grant. He 
just wanted to tease you. He likes you, Betty.” 

“He takes a funny way to show it, then.” 

“I nudged you, Betty,” said Isabel, “because I 
thought if you did know anything about Donald’s 
sailing it would be better not to tell him. He might 
possibly tell some spy,-” 

“Or be one himself,” added Pauline. 

“Oh, no,” said Betty kindly. “I guess he isn’t 
that bad, though he has done some funny things.” 

“What are you going to do about the pin?” 

A “When he comes over to call, I’ll try to persuade 
him to give it to me, and if he doesn’t, I’ll ask Miss 
Randolph what to do, though I would hate to have 
her know anything about it. Oh, I guess I can 
persuade him. But he has gotten so flirtatious 
lately whenever I have seen him. At that faculty 
party they had last week, when we girls served for 
them, Captain Holley came over to me, and talked 
and talked.” 

“What did he talk about, Betty?” 

“Oh, he wanted to know if Louise was pleasant 







90 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


to the girls, and if they like her,—that was a poser, 
but I got around it some way, and spoke of that 
compliment Patty gave her on her Latin lessons. 
Then he talked about me, always a pleasing subject, 
of course/’ Betty’s dimples were in evidence then. 
“And he talked about himself, also, hinted that his 
family fortunes were going to change for the better, 
and asked me if I liked to travel.” 

“Betty, you mischief! You are making that up!” 

“Indeed, Pauline, I’m not. He would look at me 
once in a while, to see if I were taking it in. Of 
course, I was only seeing him out of the corner 
of my eye, and would raise a bland countenance to 
him and ask him some question about Grant, or 
something,—anything!” 

“He is very handsome,” said Pauline, “has so 
much style, but it is hard to be fair now to an 
enemy alien no matter how innocent he may be.” 

“Style?” said Isabel, “I call it pomposity. Look 
out for him, Betty.” 

“I will,” laughed Betty, “but I’ll have to be nice 
till I get my pin back.” 

“He found out whether you wrote to Donald or 
not, didn’t he?” 

“Yes, Isabel, or rather that Donald wrote to me.” 

“Well, the night hawk drove away the warblers 
from this spot and we’d better go back. I think 
that the aviator of the night hawk is a skilled gentle¬ 
man. Look at the way it is performing up there.” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


91 


“Do you suppose that it really was Captain 
Holley's first trip?” 

“I doubt it, Pauline,” replied Isabel. “To change 
the subject, girls, do you mind if Virgie and I come 
over tonight to talk with you girls about the Inter- 
Society Debate? We want to have every point that 
can be thought up for and against. Sometimes it 
helps to talk it over with somebody who has not been 
thinking about the subject and has a different view¬ 
point.” 

“We’ll be delighted to have you come,” said 
Betty, “but we are not a bit worried about the result 
of the contest, with you and Virgie on our team. 
It is the first time that there have been two juniors 
with such responsibility.” 

“That is what worries us, for fear we won’t come 
up to expectations.” 

“Have you gotten your main speeches ready?” 

“Yes, and notes on all the points that we thinjc 
they can bring up, ready for rebuttal. We’ve even 
spouted against each other, taking the different 
sides, either finding a weak point or defending a 
point. It is lots of fun, but takes so much time 
from our lessons!” 

“All for the glory of the Whittiers, though, and 
it will soon be over with victory for us,—depend, 
upon it.” 

“I hope so, but Jane Mills will be fine, has so 




92 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


much self-confidence and a splendid memory for 
what her opponents have said.” 

“Your memory is just as good, and your en¬ 
thusiasm, united with having real arguments, will 
certainly carry the day for us. Hurrah for the 
Whittiers!” 

“There go Eloise and Hilary, comparing bird 
lists, I suspect,” said Pauline. “Mercy, Cathalina, 
how you startled me!” 

The girls were passing a tall hedge of bushes not 
far from the “pest house” just as Cathalina and the 
slim Juliet slipped between bushes, without seeing 
the girls, and crept along a step or two, on the bird 
trail afso. 

“Cathalina, you looked just like an ovenbird 
then,” said Isabel,—“like this,” and Isabel gave 
an exaggerated imitation of a stealthy walk. “Any¬ 
one would know that you and the ovenbird belong 
to The Stealthy Prowlers. Pauline scared your 
bird away, didn’t she?” 

“That’s right, blame it on Pauline,” said that 
young lady. 

“You were the one that called out, weren’t you?” 

“I was, but then we were all hurrying along and 
talking. Cathalina, what do you suppose is the lat¬ 
est adventure of your giddy room-mate?” 

“I’m sure I couldn’t guess,” said Cathalina, tuck¬ 
ing back a sunny lock and brushing a dry leaf or 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


93 


two from her blue sweater. “What have you been 
doing now, Betsey?” 

“Nothing at all but trying to find a warbler.” 

“She found a night hawk instead,” said Isabel. 
“A gay young Lochinvar came out of the skies, 
and doubtless would have carried her off had it not 
been for Pauline and me.” 

“Listen to Isabel’s raving!” exclaimed Betty. “I’ll 
tell you how it was, girls. It was an interesting 
adventure, but I was a passive observer.” 

Betty’s account of the descending plane was a 
spirited one and the climax thereof was the sight 
of the butterfly pin on the lapel of the Captain’s 
coat. 

“Oh, Betty!” exclaimed Lilian. “I don’t think 
that was a gentlemanly thing to do at all. I won¬ 
der what will happen to you next!” 



9 i 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


CHAPTER VIII 

THE BRIDLE PATH 

The next Sunday came, bright and sunny. Girls 
who were bus)? - bringing up their work mourned 
because they had to ‘‘waste so much time in study.” 
Early after lunch, a number of girls started off for 
their ride, one groom in charge. Most of these 
were seniors, whose experience in horseback riding 
guaranteed a good time. Greycliff boasted hand¬ 
some horses, for some of which the girls felt a 
real affection. Juliet and Pauline were already 
mounted and holding in their impatient steeds, 
when Cathalina and Betty came down to the 
pavilion. Grooms were bringing out the horses, 
helping the girls to mount, which most of them did 
most easily. 

Cathalina patted the black head of her pretty 
horse and whispered to him, “Nice old Prince, I 
think I like you best of all our horses. But we'll 
have to change your name, I guess, because, as 
Kipling says, ‘the captains and the kings depart' in 
these days. Come, Boy, quiet now.” 

Betty called the groom to her and asked him to 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


95 


fix her saddle a little. “It feels loose, some way. 
Thank you.” 

Cathalina pulled her horse beside Betty’s, as they 
waited for the entire company to assemble, and 
asked her what she was going to do after she came 
back. “I’d like to take a row, wouldn’t you?” 

“Yes, I’d love to, but I can’t. I’m going off by 
myself and bone f as Donald says, for that Lit. quiz 
on Monday. There are some things I haven’t read 
at all! I’ll try not to think of you girls out rowing. 
I’m just going for this ride and that is all the out¬ 
ing I’ll dare take. I love the bridle path through 
the woods, don’t you? There are so many lovely 
places along the shore, too. Do you remember that 
wonderful picnic we had before the boys went 
away ?” 

“Oh, don’t I!” 

“There they go. Pauline is a fine rider, isn’t 
she?” 

“Yes, but Juliet is even better, and I think that 
you are the prettiest thing on horseback that I ever 
saw.” 

*\ “Thanks, but you are partial.” 

“Not a bit of it. It is my artistic eye.” 

“Shall we bring up the rear? Come on, Calico. 
This horse has Arabian blood in him. See his 
spots?” 

“Is that why they call him that ridiculous name?” 

“I suppose so, but they often call horses that. 


9G GEEYCLIFF WINGS , 

J 

Let's catch up with Pauline if we can. There come 
Lilian and Hilary, I guess they are going. They 
are dressed for it, at least. See, they are explaining 
why they are late.” 

In the woods, vines trailed down over their 
heads, branches met above them and the sunlight 
flickered down through lacy leaves once more. The 
riders slowed their horses to a walk or jogging trot, 
while the path wound between tall trees or spindling 
saplings. Further on, they had a gallop on the 
country road until they struck the bridle path along 
the shore, where a beautiful view of the lake was 
one of the attractive features. Miss Perin, the 
teacher who had “substituted for Patty,” as the 
girls said, on the picnic at White Wings, was with 
the girls and let them stop occasionally to examine 
a wild flower or pursue some new bird a little dis¬ 
tance. 

“There's a wonderful old farm-house over there. 
Miss Perin,” called Juliet. “Can't we ride up their 
drive and see if we can get some milk?” / 

“You are not hungry now, are you?” 

“I am starved, aren’t you, Pauline?” The girls 
laughed, but looked at Miss Perin with beseeching 
glances. “Girls are almost always hungry on a ride, 
you know, Miss Perin.” 

“Or anywhere else,” said Miss Perin. “All right; 
lead the way, Juliet.” 

It was a modern place up whose concrete drive 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


97 


they trotted, Juliet bringing up her horse in style 
at a side entrance, where a very small girl sat on a 
stool just inside a latticed path. She ran out upon 
the upper step to see who was coming, then quickly 
ran back and hid behind the lattice, peeping out 
at them. 

“Little girl, will you ask your mother if we can 
have a drink of milk?’’ asked Juliet, in coaxing 
tones. A bareheaded, barefooted little boy next 
came running around the corner of the house and 
stood still, blinking in the sun and staring at the 
girls and horses. The girls sat on their horses and 
looked in turn at the clean lawn, the flower beds, 
the comfortable looking brick house with its newly 
painted grey blinds and wide front porch, the big 
barns and tall silo, the stretching fields, one of them 
with a herd of handsome Holstein cattle. 

“Here is wealth, health and contentment,” said 
Juliet, just as a thin, tall woman came from the 
porch and descended the steps, an inquiring look 
on her face. “Pardon me/’ continued Juliet. “One 
time when some of us were riding we got some milk 
here, and we think that it would taste very good 
again.” 

“Are you the girls from the school?” asked the 
woman, smiling a little. 

Miss Perin replied this time, “Yes, these are the 
girls from Greycliff.” 

“Oh, yes, I see. Once in a while some of them 


98 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


stop, but we can’t always let them have the milk. 
And we charge a good price for it,” she warned. 
“We have enough today, though.” 

The girls dismounted, tying their horses, or let¬ 
ting the groom do it, to the fence that ran along 
one side of the driveway. 

“Don’t tie yer horse to no tree,” said the little 
boy, waving back one of the girls who was about 
to fasten her horse to a young peach tree. “They 
either breaks the branches or gnaws the bark,” he 
added. 

The little girl had overcome her shyness by this 
time and was edging outside of the porch, trying 
to make up her mind whether she dared descend or 
not, among so many big girls. A big man, dressed 
roughly for his chores, came from one of the barns 
and added to the audience as he stood and watched 
the girls and his children from a distance. 

Presently the woman reappeared carrying a big, 
white pitcher, and a young girl of about the same 
age as the Greycliff girls brought a tray of glasses, 
shining and clean. 

“It can’t cost more than a Buster Brown or a 
pecan fudge sundae,” said Pauline. “Doesn’t it look 
good?” The milk was being poured by this time, 
creamy and cool. 

Lilian, meanwhile, had found a few pieces of 
candy in her pocket and was coaxing the little girl 
to talk to her. The candy was left from Phil’s last 


GKEYOLIFF WINGS 


99 


tribute, ordered from New York, since he was not 
there to send it to her. Cathalina, too, fumbled in 
her pockets and discovered a little red pencil, with 
a silk cord attached, which had been used for some 
society doings and recently put in her pocket as 
convenient for taking her bird notes when afield. 

“What is your name?’’ asked Cathalina. 

“Charlotte, 1 ' replied the child, much taken with 
the red pencil. 

“I have a cousin Charlotte, who is just about as 
old as you are, I think. Do you go to school yet?” 

The child shook her head and broke away from 
the girls to show her treasures to her mother, who 
was too busy, however, to pay much attention. 

“It's a shame we haven't anything for the little 
boy!" exclaimed Cathalina. “I haven’t another 
thing in my coat pocket but a handkerchief." 

“I believe I’ve got one of those pencils," said 
Hilary, “and I put a little memorandum book in my 
pocket this morning. I though we’d certainly see 
something new, but I haven't made a note in it." 

Hilary searched her pockets to see if she, too, 
had brought one of the pretty pencils, for she 
usually preferred a more substantial kind and had 
provided one of that sort for this trip. But she 
found a bright blue one, which she hastened to offer 
to the small boy with the memorandum book, and 
received a beaming smile as a reward. 

By this time the farmer himself had joined the 


100 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


company and took the empty glasses from Miss 
Perin and Betty, who happened to be standing to¬ 
gether. “Did you hear about the bomb explosion ?” 
he asked. 

“No, where ?” 

“O, a piece up the road, about ten mile, I 
reckon,—railroad bridge. Something went wrong 
and it wasn’t hurt much, but a troop train was about 
due. They’ll have to guard all them bridges. Some 
queer doin’s around here.” 

Betty’s mind immediately flew to the cave and the 
queer men. Miss Perm’s brow contracted. “You 
wouldn’t think there was anybody who could do 
anything like that.” 

“Easier to kill ’em off here before they get over, 
I suppose—a bombed train or a ship sunk by a 
submarine, not much difference.” 

The girls settled for their milk and the contents 
of a jar of cookies, not a trace of which remained, 
and the cavalcade moved on, this time toward Grey- 
cliff. Cathalina and Betty fell back to the rear, 
though all the horses traveled at a pretty good pace, 
as horses do when their faces are turned homeward. 

“Really I don’t want to hurry,” said Betty, “even 
if I ought to. Perhaps I can study better.” 

“I wonder what time it is,” said Cathalina. “I 
did not put on my watch.” 

“Neither did I,” said Betty, “but the wood 
thrushes have been singing steadily for some time 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


101 


and Fve noticed that they begin to tune up about 
three o’clock sun time. We lost lots of time at the 
farm-house. It will be pretty late by the time we 
get home, I mean, late to begin studying. Don’t 
worry if I’m not at dinner. I’ll get excused after¬ 
wards. Would you mind making me a sandwich 
and putting it somewhere in the suite where nobody 
will eat it up?” 

“Oh, Betty, you ought to take time to eat!” 

“Dinner takes too long. I’d rather have the time 
here.” 

“I feel more like hurrying, if we get a row before 
dinner.’ 

“Let’s catch up, then.” 

The girls had been lagging behind the rest for a 
few minutes, as they were in the bridle path in 
the woods, the last lap before the final gallop to 
Greycliff Hall, and the groom who kept behind 
them, according to orders, had shown some slight 
restlessness, though he did not interrupt their con¬ 
versation. The column of riders closed up, and 
some one from in front called to the groom to come 
and fix something. He passed a dozen of the girls 
till he reached the one who needed assistance, and 
as they were in sight of the school, he did not return 
to his position as rear guard, but kept along with 
the rest. 

“Don’t wait for me, Cathalina,” said Betty, “I 
see something I positively must have for my book 





102 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


of Greycliff flowers. Gallop along, Fll be there in 
a minute.” So saying, she waved her hand to Catha- 
lina, who gave reins to Prince. He needed no urg¬ 
ing to hurry through the rest of the way in the 
wood and to gallop, with clattering feet, on the road 
which led so shortly to Greycliff. 

At the point where Betty stopped, the wood was 
open for a little way in the direction in which Betty 
had seen the bright flower. Instead of dismount¬ 
ing, then, Betty turned her horse aside and advanced 
toward the spot, thinking that she would hold 
“Calico” while she picked the flower. But Calico 
was nervous. He wanted to get on with the rest, 
and when a rabbit started up from almost under 
his feet, he suddenly bolted, and before Betty could 
tighten her loose reins he darted ahead where the 
woods was still open, paying no attention to Betty’s 
“Whoa, whoa, Boy! Whoa, Calico! Steady now!” 

Betty shook her feet lose and prepared for the 
worst. “If he goes under those trees, I’ll try to 
catch hold of a limb,” she thought. But being un¬ 
expectedly whirled among the trees does not give 
one much of a chance for any gymnastic exploit. 
Calico stopped suddenly in front of an apparently 
impenetrable wall of bushes, and as Betty shot over 
his head, wheeled and started in another direction. 

Meanwhile, Cathalina, galloping with the gay 
company of seniors and others, had never a thought 
that anything could happen to Betty. At the 


I 

GREYCLIFF WINGS 103 

pavilion she slipped quickly from her fiery Black 
Prince, as she called him, ran to catch up with 
Hilary and Pauline who were ahead of her, hurried 
to Lakeview Suite, donned more suitable attire for 
the lake, and joined Hilary, Lilian and some of the 
other girls who were bound for the same place. 
Arrived at the lake, they found the waters smooth, 
and to their delight, the Greycliff ready to take 
any of the girls for a ride. It had recently come in 
from a trip to White Wings and was only waiting 
to be filled up again. 

‘‘This is better for lazy folks like me than row¬ 
ing,^” said Cathalina. 

“We are all pretty tired after our long ride any¬ 
way,” said Hilary. “Poor Betty! I don't believe she 
could have resisted this, if she had known that the 
Greycliff was going out. Had she come when 
when you left Cathalina ?” 

“No; I was only a few minutes behind you girls. 
I was almost ready when I told you to start on. 
She was going to gather a flower or two she saw 
for her book. I imagine she stayed to talk to some 
of the girls at the pavilion.” 

“Eloise couldn’t come, either, had a music lesson. 
She had forgotten it and went back, after she saw 
the Greycliff and everything. ‘O!’ she said, ‘There’s 
that music lesson!’ The next minute she was run¬ 
ning up to the hall on the double-quick.” 

“How lovely the sky and lake, and the shore. 


104 


GBEYCLIFF WINGS 


with its trees and cliffs, look when everything is 
safe and happy!” said Lilian, who was sitting in 
the bow, watching the water and the clouds, and 
thinking of Philip. 

“Were you thinking of the ‘Wreck of the Hes¬ 
perus’?” asked Isabel, who sat next. 

“No, I was thinking of the boys and of how 
quickly sometimes things oan change.” 

Isabel patted Lilian’s hand. Quietly the girls sat 
as the boat cut through the water and rocked a little 
when Mickey turned it about to take them back. 
Nobody felt like singing, but if they had, Betty, 
lying in the woods, could not have heard them. 

Dinner-time came. “Where is Betty?” asked 
Hilary, who sat at the head of a table now. When 
there were not enough teachers to go around, senior 
girls were chosen to grace the head of tables. Betty 
and the rest of the suite-mates sat at the same table. 

“Betty asked me to make a sandwich for her and 
put it where it would not be eaten. I think she 
meant to stay in the library. Dorothy, you were 
reading in the library, weren’t you? Did you see 
Betty?” 

“No, but she may have been in the stacks. I was 
over by the reference books.” 

“She ought not to do this,” said Hilary, “but I 
won’t see you if you make a sandwich, Cathalina. 
She will be starved.” 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


105 


“We had that milk in the afternoon,” said 
Dorothy. 

“I think we have a few crackers in the suite, 
too,” added Cathalina. 

After dinner the girls had their usual time of 
recreation, some of them outdoors, some at the 
pianos, some visiting in different parts of the hall; 
then the three girls of Lakeview Suite met in their 
rooms and prepared to study. Hilary declared that 
she could scarcely keep her eyes open and was going 
to bed as soon as she finished reviewing her French. 

“I think I will go early, too,” said Lilian. “Not 
having ‘society’ last night put me ahead with my 
work.” 

An hour or so went by, then Hilary and Lilian 
began to take down their locks and braid them, 
while they finished the last of their student tasks. 

“Thanks, Lil, I was hoping you would bring me 
my comb when you got yours, but couldn’t quite 
bring myself to ask you.” 

Cathalina yawned. “I wonder how late Betty 
will stay up.” 

“What time is it?” asked Hilary, whose back 
was toward the clock. 

“Eight-thirty, almost. I believe I’ll go over to 
the library and hunt up Betty,—O, I forgot. I cer¬ 
tainly can’t do it in this rig.” Cathalina looked down 
upon her silk kimono and smiled. “Oh, hum. I 
(guess it’s moonlight, isn’t it?” she said as she 


10G 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


I 

crossed the room to the window. Kneeling on the 
window-seat, she looked out to see a fitful moon¬ 
light and a moon crossed by floating clouds. Then 
she startled the girls by an explanation,—“Why, 
girls! Here are all Betty’s books!” 

“Well?” said Lilian inquiringly, “Wasn’t she 
going to read at the library?” 

“Not altogether, and besides, here are her notes, 
and everything that she told me she had all ready 
to use when she came back. Why, girls! I’ll have 
to go to the library now.” 

Nobody was sleepy then. Cathalina dressed as 
' quickly as possible and started over to the library. 
Hilary and Lilian started on the rounds of the 
rooms and suites in which Betty might possibly be 
visiting. No Betty, and the first bell rang for the 
close of study hours. 

Cathalina came back looking frightened. “She 
isn’t anywhere over there, or in the practice rooms, 
or the chapel, and I even went over to the pest 
house, thinking that she might have slipped in there 
to see somebody. But after all, girls, those books 
on the window seat tell the story, because I know 
that she was going to use them.” 

Hilary and Lilian had been the rounds, too, 
but agreed with Cathalina that the presence of the 
books indicated something wrong, or at least a dif¬ 
ferent plan. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


107 


“I'm going right down to Miss Randolph and she 
will tell us what to do,” decided Cathalina. 

'‘We'll dress and come down, too,” the girls 
assured her. 

Miss Randolph listened gravely to Cathalina’s 
story, sandwich and all. “The first thing to do,” 
said she, “is to find out if the horse Betty was on 
came in. I can’t see, though, if the groom was 
riding according to orders, how Betty could have 
been left behind. It was a new groom, however.” 

“Oh, yes, Miss Randolph, I remember that he 
was called up front to fix one of the girls straps or 
saddle or something, and Betty said she was just 
going to gather that one flower and for me to hurry 
on. I supposed she was coming and I don’t remem¬ 
ber a thing but hurrying to get to the Hall. There 
was such a crowd of us at the pavilion.” 

“I'll call up the stables. It is possible that with 
the horses turned into the pasture, the absence of 
one would not be noticed. What horse did you say 
Betty had?” 

“Calico,” replied Cathalina with a smile. “Betty 
was talking about his being part Arabian.” 

There was some delay. Miss Randolph called 
again and several men went out into the pasture to 
see if the spotted horse were there. It would not 
have been hard to see in the moonlight, but Calico 
was not in the pasture. Cathalina was waiting for 
the report. .When it came, Miss Randolph’s voice 




108 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


7 


shook a little, as she told Cathalina to go up and put 
on a wrap. “You will have to go with us to show 
us the place where you saw Betty last,” she said. 
“Don’t alarm the girls, or tell anybody but those 
who already know. Tell them to go to bed. The 
bell for lights out has rung, so only your suite- 
mates will have to know about it. Perhaps Betty is 
all right. I hope so.” Miss Randolph turned again 
to the telephone and Cathalina flew upstairs as fast 
as her feet could carry her. 

Miss Randolph had too much faith in her girls’ 
keeping the rules, or pretended to have, though 
pretence and Miss Randolph were scarcely ac¬ 
quainted. When Cathalina got upstairs, out of 
breath and excited, the room was full. Hilary and 
Lilian were fully dressed. Pauline, Helen, Eloise 
and Juliet were still in their usual study-hour habili¬ 
ments. Isabel’s slippered feet peeped out from her 
white night-robe, and her kimono was only gathered 
around her shoulders. 

“We went down, Cathalina, as we said we would, 
but Miss Randolph was telephoning and we did not 
dare knock. What is it? Any news? Hilary and 
Lilian were both speaking at once, while the other 
girls, in hushed silence, waited for Cathalina to get 
her breath and reply. 

“Calico isn’t in. I’m to go at once and show 
them where I saw Betty last. Miss Randolph said 
for me to get a wrap and come down, and for every- 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


109 


body to go to bed. I guess she meant for me to 
think that Betty is just lost in the woods. Oh, girls, 
if I just hadn’t gone on! Here we have been having 
a good time and maybe Betty-” 

“Hush, Cathie,—it wasn’t your fault,” said 
Hilary. “Come, now, let’s not imagine the worst. 
I’ll go downstairs with you, Cathalina, even if we 
do get scolded. Here is your coat. You’d better 
have a scarf or something on your head, too. Miss 
Randolph is right; everybody ought to go to bed. 
Come over in the morning, girls, and you will 
probably find Betty here.” 

Such was Hilary’s influence that the girls, Isabel 
and Virgie shivering with nervousness, departed at 
once to their rooms to crawl into bed, and after 
declaring that they should not sleep a wink, to fall 
sound asleep not to waken until the rising bell should 
wake them. 

By the time Cathalina had gone downstairs, Miss 
Randolph was ready. She smiled at Hilary and 
Lilian, told them to go to bed, took Cathalina’s arm 
and started. Capable Mickey was on hand, as 
Cathalina was glad to see, and helped them into the 
small car which had been brought around in front 
of Greycliff Hall. There was several men on horse¬ 
back, armed with large flashlights. 

It seemed only a minute before they came to the 
bridle path which started off the main road. Then 
Cathalina and Miss Randolph were put on horses 




110 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


and led along the path until they came to the spot 
where Cathalina said Betty had stopped. With 
flashlights they examined the place and saw the 
hoof marks where Calico had stampeded. Cathalina 
wondered why she and MissRandolph had not been 
put on horseback at first, then shudderingly realized 
that they might need the car for Betty. As soon as 
Cathalina had identified the spot, she and Miss 
Randolph were led back to the car to wait while the 
search went on; but just as they started, a loud 
whinny was heard from the depths of the woods 
further on, and the men started in that direction. 
“That is our horse!’ exclaimed Miss Randolph. “It 
must be!” 

“Why don’t they call to Betty?” asked Cathalina. 

“They will pretty soon,” replied Miss Randolph, 
and sure enough, there were a few loud hails that 
came to their ears as they sat in the car. 

Presently, one of the men came to report that the 
horse had been found, the saddle partly off, and the 
bridle so caught in a strong branch that the animal 
could not get away. “Miss Betty was not anywhere 
near the horse, nor near the place where the horse 
must have bolted. We think that it would be better 
for you and Miss Cathalina to go back to the Hall. 
We are intending to stay out all night, if necessary, 
to find the girl.” 

O 

Cathalina looked around at the shadows, the dark 
trees and bushes, wondering if Betty were some- 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


111 


where among them and thought of what Lilian had 
said in the afternoon about its all being so beautiful 
“when every thing was safe and happy.” 


.112 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


CHAPTER IX. 

WATER WINGS. 

It looked very much as if this were Betty’s final 
adventure. She lay upon the ground, on one side, 
where she had rolled from the elevation about the 
trunk of a huge tree. Both arms were over her 
head, for she had tried to catch the branches as she 
was thrown. Tossed over the bushes, she had just 
escaped being hurled against the tree, but had struck 
her head on one of its large roots as she fell. Her 
face was pale, her hands and arms limp, her brown 
hair a tumbling mass about the dark collar and 
shoulders of her riding coat. For a long time she 
lay so, then gradually began to come to a very sick 
consciousness of her condition and surorundings. 
Her arms were stiff as she drew them down to hold 
an aching, dizzy head. She tried to raise herself 
on her elbow, but fell back again and closed her 
eyes. When she opened them again, they rested on 
a little ground squirrel that sat at attention on a 
projection of the root which had made the large 
lump on Betty’s head, as she later discovered by 
the stain there. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


113 


“Hello, little chap,” she said, whereat the chip¬ 
munk whisked out of sight behind the tree. Betty 
tried to think what had happened, and turned over 
on her back, her arm under the bruised head, look¬ 
ing now into the leafy branches of the big elm. A 
fat wood thrush flew upon one of the lower limbs 
and sang “Come to me,” most consolingly. Every 
dark spot upon his breast was in view, and he 
spread his wings, preened his feathers, turned this 
way and that, changed the key of his song, went 
from major to minor, and tinkled his little musical 
bell from time to time. 

“Aren’t you a darling?” asked Betty, smiling a 
little crooked smile. “Oh, yes; I got thrown. It 
was Calico. I’m supposed to be 'boning’ on Lit., 
and it’s little Betty who will have to get herself out 
of this mess. I can’t be so awfully far in this 
woods. But I imagine that Calico has found his 
way home. Maybe they will come after me. No 
broken bones anyway, unless my head,” and Betty 
smiled again her drawn smile. “Now I’m going to 
sit up!” And sit up she did. She gathered up her 
loose hair, wet and stained, and finding still a hair¬ 
pin or two, fastened it on top of her head, away 
from the aching lump. “My, it’s getting dark. I’ll 
have to hurry.” 

But there was no hurrying for Betty. She crawled 
to the tree and drew herself up against it. “If I 
could only see where the sun is, I could tell the. 


114 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


direction,” she thought. Then she wondered if 
she were near enough to the lake to hear it and 
listened attentively. She could not be very far from 
the bridle path, and yet the horse had run into the 
woods for quite a distance. Oh, well, she didn’t 
know what would happen, but she might as well try 
to get out of the woods some way. Deciding on the 
direction, she staggered from tree to tree at first, 
but came to no clearing, and it kept growing darker. 
It was hard to keep in any one direction when there 
were so many thick bushes to go around, and the 
time seemed very long. Every little while Betty 
would have to sit down, all sick and dizzy, to rest. 
The night air was chilly and little noises startled 
her. 

Finally, she seemed to come into a narrow path, 
and presently she heard the sound of waves. She 
had at last come through that almost impenetrable 
woods to the lake shore. “Now I can find the way 
home,” she though, though what part of the 
shore she would reach she had no idea. 

Feeling her way along slowly, Betty would lose 
the path at times, then find herself back upon it 
again, and while she watched, for fear she might 
walk over the edge of some bluff, she saw a glimmer 
through the trees, then found herself before an open 
door from which shone the feeble light of a lantern. 
She staggered in, and dropped into a straight chair 
which was propping open the door. At once she 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


115 


heard voices outside, and began seriously to doubt 
the wisdom of her walking into the place. She 
looked around. There was a long table roughly 
made and upon it stood bottles of chemicals and 
different tools. This was no real house,—what had 
she stumbled upon? Could this be the house over 
the cave? But it was too late to get away, for they 
were almost at the door. Betty could hear the con¬ 
versation now. It was partly in English, partly in 
simple German, and Betty thought to herself that, 
after all, having studied German was not such a 
waste of time as she had felt. There were words 
here and there which she did not recognize, but to 
her horror she realized that these were the men 
who were responsible for the attempt on the bridge. 
They were explaining to some one evidently in 
authority over them, and excusing themselves for 
their failure. The other man spoke harshly, telling 
them that there would be a search and they must 
conceal the evidences of their work at this place. 

“Tomorrow the government boat will be down 
here. Fishing pretence will not deceive them. They 
will search everywhere. The secret service men 
are already on the trail. Signal for the hydroplane. 
You can work for White Wings till this blows over. 
Throw all that stuff into the lake. Did you re¬ 
move all the bombs from the cave?” 

Betty’s heart sank as she recognized the voice. 
It was that of Captain Holley. She rose, having 


116 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


some wild idea of trying to escape, but did the best 
thing that she could have done under the circum¬ 
stances. Fright, chill, and the injured head were 
too much for her, and she sank to the floor by the 
chair in a faint. 

Round the corner of the little house walked the 
three men and stopped astonished at the sight of 
the fallen figure in the doorway. Betty would have 
been still more frightened if she could have seen 
the revolvers drawn, and heard Captain Holley’s 
angry exclamation as he discovered who she was. 
“It is one of the young ladies from the school,” 
said he, stooping over her. Betty was regaining 
her senses, but did not dare move. Stepping over 
her, still with revolver in hand, he went inside and 
looked around to see if she had any companion. 

“She has seen too much. Throw her in the lake,” 
growled one of the men. 

“There is no one else here,” said Captain Holley, 
returning. Lifting Betty he laid her on a bench 
which stood against the wall inside. “She has been 
thrown, I judge, and has come through the woods.” 

“They will be hunting for her, too,” said the 
same man who had spoken. 

“If they catch us, it will be better if we have 
treated her well,” spoke the second man. 

“If they get us, they can prove nothing unless 
she tells them something. Throw her in the lake, 
I say.” 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


117 


A sharp reproof from Captain Holley stopped 
further remarks, and the two men began to bundle 
up various articles, with the bottles and other 
things on the table. “Row out a little distance be- 
fore you drop them,” was the order. 

As the men left the room, Betty moaned a little, 
to give warning that she was conscious, and Cap¬ 
tain Holley came over to look at her. Taking a 
flask from his pocket, he poured a small dose of 
something into a dingy glass which stood by a 
pitcher on the table, diluting it with water from the 
pitcher. Betty opened her eyes and stared at him 
without a word as he lifted her head and gave her 
the stimulant. She drank, not knowing but it might 
poison her, for she had little confidence in the 
gentleman who was giving it to her. But she felt 
much better after swallowing the hot dose and said, 
“Thank you, Captain Holley,—can you take me 
home, please?” 

“I do not know,” he replied non-commitally,— 
“what can I do. I have a serious errand. I dare 
not leave you here alone, and I can not take you 
home now.” 

“Oh, I am afraid of those men ,—do not leave 
me!” cried Betty. 

“Did you have a fall?” 

“Yes; I waited to pick a flower and told the girls, 
or Cathalina to go on.” 

“What became of the horse?” 






118 GREYCLIFF WINGS 

A ' 

“I don’t know. If he had gone home, I should 
think they would have come for me right away. I 
must have been unconscious a long time.” 

“Miss Betty, I have been interested in you for 
some time. Could you think of going away with 
me tonight. Could you forget your prejudice 
against my nation? I shall have large sums of 
money and could make you happy.” The young 
man’s eyes sparkled as with perfect poise he stood 
looking down on the forlorn Betty. 

Betty’s eyes closed in sick surprise. Surely no 
girl ever listened to a proposal under such difficult 
circumstances. While not an actual assassin, the 
man had been planning death for her countrymen 
and justified it under the name of patriotism for 
another country. He had been playing a part at 
Grant Academy. 

“Oh, Captain Holley!” she cried—“I’m too sick 
to think of anything! No, of course I would not go 
away with anybody without my parents’ knowledge! 
But I do trust you to be good to me,” she added, 
her lips trembling. 

“You are a very beautiful girl,” said Captain 
Holley, his cold face expressing no feeling now. 
“You will think of me and change your mind. 
Come.” 

Betty had heard the humming of a motor, but 
remembered that she must not show any knowledge 
of what had been said about the hydroplane. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


119 


Putting* his arm around the shaken girl, the 
young officer led her down some rude steps at the 
rear of the building to the foot of the bluff. She 
thought as she went how cleverly these must be 
concealed. But as she reached the bottom, she felt 
so sick again, that she reeled against her companion, 
who picked her up, carried her over the rocks and 
put her into something at the water’s edge, some¬ 
thing with wings, a dark shadow in the night, for 
the moon was hid by clouds. 

Betty was fastened in and off they glided, present¬ 
ly rising from the water and cutting through the 
cold night air. Betty had ceased to care what 
became of her, though she drowsily longed to get 
to some comfortable place and go to sleep. These 
were water wings indeed, more interesting than the 
“night hawk,” but how cold it was! Next, they 
were descending, upon the water once more, and 
approaching some landing. 

Dazed and stiff, she was lifted out. Captain 
Holley gave a sharp whistle and a man came run¬ 
ning to the landing. “Take it right back, for they 
have need to hurry. They were destroying the 
contents of the hut, but it is too late. I saw the 
vessel lying off to the east as I came. Look out for 
the marines. Our men were to row off from land 
and wait for you, signaling when they heard the 
motor. I shall be waiting for you in the plane, at 
the accustomed place.” 



120 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


This was in English, and the reply was in the 
same language. The young captain was evidently 
under strong excitement. He half carried Betty 
some litle distance to a house, where a stern looking 
woman opened the door. To her the officer used a 
strange language which Betty thought might be 
Russian, and they talked rapidly while a fire was 
being made and a kettle of water put on the stove. 
Another man appeared and all three left the room. 
There was the noise of furniture being moved, 
of people going up and down stairs and talking. 

After a little, the woman came in again, made 
Betty a cup of strong hot tea and brought it to her 
on a plate which also contained a piece of bread 
and butter and a small, round cake. The little meal 
was very refreshing. Betty ate it and watched the 
woman making hurried preparations for another 
lunch, setting several plates on the kitchen table, 
for it was into the kitchen that Betty had been 
brought and placed in an old-fashioned rocking 
chair near the stove. 

She had just finished the last drop of tea when 
Captain Holley came running lightly down the stairs, 
as she could hear, and entered the room, drawing 
up a chair. Catching the eye of the woman, he 
pointed to the door and she obediently went out. 

“I have had a cot put in the attic with everything 
that you will need. It will be safer. Whatever you 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


121 


may hear, do not come downstairs until morning. 
Will you remember ?” 

“Yes.” 

“Come in, Sofia. Help this lady upstairs and 
give her the key.” 

As Betty left the kitchen, she turned and saw her 
strange admirer standing erect and still, in his 
aviator’s costume, looking after her with an ex¬ 
pression almost stern. She stopped a moment. 
“Thank you, Captain Holley, more than I can tell, 
for your protection.” He did not reply, but raised 
his hand in salute. 

It was a tiresome climb to the attic for one in 
Betty’s lame condition, but at last the woman 
opened a door at the head of the stairs and ushered 
her into a dusty, close place, pointing toward a 
clean cot in a space which had been hastily cleared 
from rubbish. An old wash-stand had been moved 
up near the cot and contained water-pitcher and 
towels, which Betty was very glad to see. Handing 
Betty the key, the woman went downstairs, and 
Betty turned the key in the lock with great satis¬ 
faction, feeling almost safe, if she was in a strange 
garret, as she said afterward. She had known the 
time when she was afraid of attics at night, but this 
was so safe by comparison that she did not think 
of being frightened. When she had bathed her 
face and carefully combed as much of her hair as 
was not matted over the wound, she felt more like 



122 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


the old Betty. Cold compresses felt good to the 
sore spot and loosened the hair over it. “I am 
whole up to date,” she thought, “and perhaps I can 
persuade his highness to let me go in the morning. 
Why, this is an electric light! I don’t know any 
place in the country around here that has it but 
White Wings. Of course it is White Wings. 
Where else could a hydroplane come from? If I 
hadn’t been so stupid, I would have recognized it.” 
A cord dangled from the ceiling with a dingy little 
bulb swinging at its end, and Betty carefully located 
it relative to the bed before she turned off the light 
and crawled into a slightly lumpy but very wel¬ 
come cot. The coarse gown provided was clean, 
and the little pillow soft. Air came from some¬ 
where, though she had seen no windows. The at¬ 
mosphere of the place would soon be improved, she 
concluded. 

The tea had made her less sleepy. For some time 
after she had thanked Providence for her safety, 
she lay awake, wondering what Greycliff folks were 
doing, what would come of this adventure, and 
how she was going to get back. “I need a doughty 
knight to come and rescue the princess in the 
tower!” Betty giggled at the thought and grew 
drowsy, her head aching less, until finally she 
dropped into a slumber perhaps less disturbed than 
that of her suite-mates, who were still dressed and 
curled up on the outside of their beds. Miss Ran- 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


123 


dolph was sleeping scarcely at all, and there were 
men searching the woods and shore for her all night. : 
Although she knew that Captain Holley was con¬ 
cerned in this dreadful work as a spy, she felt that 
he had a fancy for her and that she was com¬ 
paratively safe in any refuge of his choosing. The 
last sounds that Betty heard were of people hurry¬ 
ing about, an occasional door closing noisily. The 
ever-shifting moonlight crept into a little round 
window behind some heavy furniture and threw 
long shadows from the dusky objects in the attic 
over the lonely little figure in the old cot. 



124 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


CHAPTER X.\ 

BETTY FINDS HER CAMERA. 

In the morning, Betty wakened with the feeling 
that she was too stiff to move. She had taken cold 
from the exposure and ached all over. Her head 
seemed “two sizes too large,” as she thought, and 
she lifted it cautiously from the pillow to look 
around. Not having her watch, she did not have * 
any idea what time it might be. Everything was 
still about the house, but from the outside she heard 
bird songs, the chickens, and the farm animals. 
“It’s White Wings all right,” said Betty, as she 
decided to dress. She turned on the light again, 
though there was sunlight, if dim, and she could 
see at one end of the room a window covered with a 
dark curtain. She did not care to traverse the dusty 
floor till she was dressed, but when that was at last 
accomplished, she peered around in such parts of 
the place as she could go without fear of bumping 
a head already too sore, and found the open, round 
window behind an old highboy and a tall bookcase. 
As she peeped out of the window, she could see the 
little ice house and the shed which had been built 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


125 


for the hydroplane. “Probably they kept the ‘night 
hawk’ there too/’ she thought. 

Retracing her steps, she noticed a familiar object, 
among a pile of things on a large box near her cot. 
Could it be? Yes, there was the Red Cross seal 
which one of the girls had stuck in one corner. She 
reached over, threw aside a pile of old clothing and 
drew out her camera. It was covered with dust, 
but seemed to be unharmed. She looked at once to 
see if the film were there, the film with the pictures 
of the birds, the scenes and the people of White 
Wings,—but it had been taken out. 

“H’m,” said Betty to herself, “that was why my 
camera disappeared. That man was into this work 
and did not want any pictures of himself thrown 
around.” Betty shivered, looked around the attic, 
and was seized with a desire to get out of it as soon 
as possible. Gathering up the few articles which 
she had not yet put on, she hurried to the door, key 
in hand. The light was dim, and as she fumbled 
with the key in the lock, she saw something on the 
floor, an edge of something white. When she 
opened the door, this proved to be folded paper, 
which she picked up. She listened a moment. Not 
a sound inside the house as yet. Betty ran down 
the stairs, opened another door, and found herself 
on the second floor, in a hall from which bedroom 
doors opened, bedrooms all upset from hurried 
packing. She stopped and listened again, then ran 


126 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


down to the first floor and unlocked and opened the 
front door. Ah, freedom felt so good! But she 
went into the house again and went through the 
first floor, determined to find out if she really were 
alone. There was no one in the house. Dishes 
unwashed and food left standing were on the 
kitchen table. 

Betty thought of the telephone, then, and took 
down the receiver before it occurerd to her that the 
wires would be cut. They would not risk her wak¬ 
ing and trying to communicate with GreyclifF. There 
was, of course, no response. “Very well,” thought 
Betty, “if no one comes, I could walk it and swim 
the river, or walk around to the bridge. Or, of 
course, there are other farm houses between here 
and Greycliff. I believe I’d better get something 
to eat.” But the chances were that some one would 
come, for if these people had been obliged to leave 
so hurriedly, they must have been quite sure that 
they were or would be under suspicion. Something 
had happened. 

On the pantry shelf stood a bread box containing 
the best of home-made bread. There was a refriger¬ 
ator, also, in which she found butter, milk and 
cream, with other things which she did not want. 
Jam, jelly, pickles and canned fruit on the shelves 
might have looked good to her under other cir¬ 
cumstances. But she cut herself one slice of bread, 
and found a clean glass into which she poured some 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


127 

milk. Spreading the bread thinly with butter, she 
ate it slowly, sipping the milk, preparing herself to. 
get back to Greycliff if she had to walk! Then she 
thought of the horses which she might saddle and 
ride. And what about the stock, anyhow? Had 
they used the horses to carry them away? Very 
likely. Who had fed the other stock? She had heard 
the cows lowing. All that was to be discovered. 
She had forgotten about the note. What had she 
done with it. Oh, yes, she had put it in her pocket; 

Having finished her breakfast, Betty pulled the 
note from her pocket and read: 

Little Bettina: 

A word of goodbye. Our cause is discovered. I 
wish that I could take you with me, but my strange 
duties forbid. Do not marry that stupid American 
boy,—but no danger. Our armies will see to that. 
After the war we shall see. I can make you a 
countess. 

In haste— 

Rudolph Von Holle. 

Betty dropped the note into her lap in perfect 
surprise. “He came up and left that note, and has 
gone, run away from Grant and everything! ‘Stupid 
American boy/ indeed! I wonder if he really did 
care about me. It’s funny way of caring, and still 
he has kept anything from hurting me. Oh, dear! 



128 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


I wish somebody’d come! If it were Juliet or Pau¬ 
line, the stock would get fed and the milking would 
be done, but I don’t feel like poking about the barns. 
There might be somebody left around.” Betty stood 
a moment, thinking what she ought to do, then 
decided that her father and mother would want her 
to be cautious. Slowly she walked again to the 
front door and looked out. She saw nothing, but 
heard a motor and quickly withdrew, locking the 
door. The other outside doors were locked she 
knew, for she had carefully tried them before 
settling down to her little breakfast. What she 
feared was the return of the “night hawk” or the 
hydroplane, in spite of the note in her hand. Perhaps 
not all were suspected and after helping the others 
off were coming back. There was the White Wings 
motor boat, too. These things flashed through her 
mind while she stood looking out of the front win¬ 
dow in one of the rooms. 

It was not the “night hawk.” The sound was 
different. It was a boat. She could not see through 
the trees what sort of a boat it was that was landing, 
and waited, all ready to whisk upstairs to the attic 
and lock herself in, or to slip out the back way and 
hide in the woods, if she could reach them without 
being seen. The sheltering vines of the little vine¬ 
yard on the hillside were not so far away. Like a 
little Indian maid she might perhaps slip from covert 
to covert. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


129 


But all this planning was unnecessary. To Betty’s 
great relief, she saw marines running rapidly across 
the way from the picnic grounds and up the ascent 
toward the house. But their guns were ready for 
action, and Betty drew back from the window, un¬ 
decided just how to let them know she was there. 
In a moment the house was surrounded and a loud 
voice called, “Open the door and surrender!” An¬ 
other voice which she recognized immediately 
called, “Betty! Betty! Are you there?” 

“Oh, Donald,” she answered. “Yes, I’m here all 
alone. Tell them not to shoot!” 

Betty hastened to unbolt and unlock the front 
door and greeted with smiles of joy the tall captain, 
who stood there, and Donald, close behind. 

“This is Captain Stone, Betty,” said Donald 
as the captain stood aside waving Donald toward 
the pale little lady who leaned against the doorway, 
for Betty was not altogether steady on her feet as 
yet. 

“I surrender. Captain Stone,” said she, with a 
smile. 

“I thought that there might be some of the mis¬ 
creants left,” said the captain, returning her smile. 
“But I prefer to find you this time.” 

“No, there does not seem to be a soul here, 
though I was a little afraid to go down to the barn. 
The poor stock is in need of being fed, I think.” 

“I’ll set some of my lads to work,” replied Cap- 




130 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


tain Stone, and turning, he gave a few orders and 
disappeared around the corner of the house. 

“Are you all right, Betty?” asked Donald 
anxiously. “You must not stand here,—come in 
and sit down and tell me what happened to you.” 

“Yes, I will. You look pretty tired yourself, and 
I imagine that you have some things to tell, too. 
My, but I'm glad you came. I was just wondering 
what I should do!” 

“I suppose the horse threw you.” 

“Yes. Did it get home all right?” 

“Not until it was found. The bridle got caught 
in some branches, a sort of Absalom affair, you 
know. We did not know what had happened to 
you, of course, though the men thought that they 
could tell by the hoof marks that the horse got 
frightened and bolted. You see we were after the 
men in this affair and ran into the men that were 
hunting you.” 

“I see. What made you think that I was here?” 

“I found one of your gloves in the bushes by those 
steps that lead down from the hut.” 

“O, Donald! To think that you should find it! I 
tossed it there on purpose, but knew that the men 
would take it away if they found it. I was terribly 
stupid and dazed by my fall, but I had sense 
enough to think of that. I dropped a handkerchief, 
too, in another place, but it did not occur to me 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


131 


while I was in the woods. 1 was just thinking about 
finding my way out.” 

“We didn’t find the handkerchief. They must 
have seen it and picked it uo. We got them just as 
they were rowing off.” 

"The hydroplane did not get there in time, then 
^Captain Holley gave orders for it to go after them. 
•They were removing bombs and things, chemicals 
and everything.” 

“Holley! Was he the fellow that brought you 
here?” 

“Yes. But if he hadn’t been there they would 
have killed me, I guess. One of the men said, ‘She 
has seen too much. Throw her in the lake’!” 

Donald clenched his fist. “The scoundrel! He is 

i 

in jail by this time.” 

'“Did they get Captain Holley?” 

“No. He and that ‘scientific farmer’ of Grey- 
cliff’s got away. We really had no proof that any 
one at White Wings was concerned in this till one 
of the two fellows we arrested said something by 
mistake. I suppose they thought that the whole affair 
was discovered and did not take any chances. Some 
of the neighbors on the farms around here have 
been suspicious of these people, not in any definite 
way, though. You ought to have heard all the talk 
last night and this morning. Several of us were 
detailed to help look for you. We were to arrest 
Holley, or Von Holle.” 



132 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


Betty rapidly outlined what had happened the 
night before, while Donald possessed himself of one 
of her hands and held it firmly, living through the 
events of the night before with Betty. This was a 
little distracting, but Betty was so thankful for 
Donald’s protection that it only seemed natural, nor 
did she have any doubts as to Donald’s state of 
mind toward her. She even told him word for word 
of the strange proposal, but was not quite prepared 
for the way in which Donald took it. Placing her 
hand back upon her lap, Donald sprang to his feet 
and walked across the floor and back. 

“Betty! Tell me that you could not think of such 
a man!” 

“Donald Hilton! Sit right down here by me and 
apologize for thinking that I could!” Betty dimpled, 
but was in earnest, as Donald could see. He dropped 
down upon the sofa again and duly apologized. 

“It makes me go crazy to think of what danger 
you were in. Betty, could you wait for me? If I 
get through this war, may I come back to you? 
You know well enough how dearly I love you,— 
don’t you? If I could only think you cared enough 
for me!” 

“Don’t be too humble, Donald. Who was it that 
looked into the mirror of my fate ?” 

“Betty!” 

“Besides I need somebody to take care of me,— 
no more adventures for me!” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 133 

T -t « 

t Foolish, perhaps, but happy conversation fol¬ 
lowed, about when they first met, the mirror on 
Hallowe’en, the skating at the Ice Carnivals, and 
other occasions at school. “I knew that you were 
my girl when we first skated together,” said Donald. 
“See here,” and Donald took from his pocket a 
little leather case. “Here is the picture of the girl 
of all the world for me, and the little pansy that 
caught on my button that Hallowe’en night. They 
never leave me.” 

Betty noticed how white and worn Donald 
seemed and thought to ask him if he had had any 
breakfast. 

“Why no, Betty, none of us have. We thought 
that there would be something here, though if you 
had not been here, we would have kept on hunting.” 

“There is plenty here. Let me show you the 
things in the pantry. I’ll fix you something nice.” 

“Indeed not. You are going to lie down and rest 
here, while I shut the doors and keep the boys out. 
Everybody will want some hot coffee. Chuck 
Williams will do the cooking. It was not by chance 
that he was put on this detail. Wait till you taste 
his coffee. I don’t think it will hurt you for once.” 

“Oh, I take a cup occasionally. You are so good, 
Donald,” she added, as Donald covered her with a 
light cover which was folded on the end of the sofa. 
The marines were now coming to the house, and 
she and Donald could hear their conversation. 


134 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


The stock had been fed and watered. Pails of 
warm milk were being carried into the kitchen, and 
Betty could hear the voice of some one in charge 
whom she supposed to be “Chuck Williams.” 
Donald warned the sailor lads not to disturb the 
weary lady in the front room and listened to some 
good-natured joking at his expense. A fire was 
made in the stove and it was not long before the 
aroma of fresh coffee stole into the front room 
where Betty lay resting. How different this was. 
She was perfectly safe, in the hands of her own 
people, and, best of all, with Donald to manage 
everything. He came in soon with a cup of coffee 
and a little sandwich made of bread and butter and 
blackberry jam. 

“Have you had anything yet?” asked Betty. 

“No, but I shall in a minute. I was just thinking 
that I had not finished telling you how we knew 
you were here. After I found the glove I went 
right back to Greycliff. That was early this morn¬ 
ing,-” 

“Then you were up all night!” 

‘“Surely; that is what soldiers and sailors are 
for.” 

“I have made everybody so much trouble,—but 
go on, Donald.” 

“Well, there was great excitement at Greycliff, 
of course, over your disappearance, and more when 
I told of the arrest of the two men. I showed the 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


135 


glove to Miss Randolph and I never saw such a 
look as she gave me. I know that she thought the 
men had put an end to you, but I did not think so, 
someway. I saw some footprints on the wet sand, 
small ones with the big ones,—you see it could not 
have been long after you had gone that we caught 
the men. I thought that they would hardly injure 
you because of the hue and cry there would be, and 
the approach of the hydroplane and its swift retreat 
made me think of White Wings as the most likely 
place. I can’t say that there was so much sense in 
my reasoning, but it proved to be true. 

“Now for the part that I will have to give Holley 
credit for, though you can imagine how I feel 
toward him! While I was trying to cheer up Miss 
Randolph and telling her that I was going to try 
to hurry off our party to White Wings, one of the 
girls came running in with a note in her hands. 
She had gone into Louise Holley’s room for some¬ 
thing and had seen this note on the bureau,—it was 
more of a notice, that read, ‘Tell Miss Randolph to 
look at White Wings for Betty.’ Louise had had a 
telephone message last night about nine o’clock, 
Miss Randolph said, but nobody thought anything 
of it, for her brother often telephoned. It must have 
come from White Wings instead of from the 
academy.” 

* \ “Then Louise was gone?” 

“Yes, and Prof. Schaefer, too. One of the stable 

■ Mm —^ 


136 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


men who had gone with me to Greycliff, and was 
waiting outside to see if there had been any news, 
said that he came rather late from the village, and 
saw the professor taking Louise to the station. They 
seemed to be in a hurry, and were carrying suit¬ 
cases and bags, but as the girls are sometimes 
called home he thought nothing of it, and the ex¬ 
citement over you put it out of his mind. They 
were getting ready to come after you with the 
Greycliff when we put off, and I am surprised that 
they have not gotten here before this.” 

“Perhaps the motor is out of fix. I thought that 
perhaps you had come in the Greycliff.” 

“No. We had our own launch.” 

“Now do go and get a good breakfast, Donald, 
please.” 

Protesting at being sent away, Donald yielded 
and carrying Betty’s empty cup, for she drank the 
coffee to please him, went into the kitchen to do full 
justice to such food as remained. 

It was not long before Betty heard a boat, then 
girls’ voices, and knew that the Greycliff had ar¬ 
rived. Donald heard them, too, and joining Betty, 
went out in front to meet them. There were Catha- 
lina, Hilary, Lilian and Helen, with “Patty” and 
Miss Perin. 

“Oh, Betty, Betty, Betty!” was the chorus. “All 
the girls wanted to come,” said Lilian, after the first 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


137 


greetings were over, “but Miss Randolph wouldn’t 
let them. How are you Betty ?” 

“All right,—a little shaky. Oh, how glad I shall 
be to go back to the good old every-dayness!” 

“You won’t wait to pick a flower or two?” 

“Indeed not!” 

Mickey was conferring with the captain of the 
marines, and the Greycliff janitor and his wife, with 
bags and bundles, hastily packed, were going into 
the house, where they would stay a few days, or 
until some one could be found to run the farm. 
“We’ll send ye a couple o’ hired men tomorry,” said 
Mickey to the janitor, as he left their dooryard to 
go back to the boat. 

Donald went with the party to the boat, helped 
Betty into a comfortable seat and said his farewells 
with rather a sober face. 

“Keep out of danger, Betty,” said he. 

“I will. I wish I could ask the same of you, but 
I wouldn’t be very patriotic, would I ?” 

Several interested marines joined Donald and 
watched the Greycliff and the girls disappear over 
the white caps. 

Betty, too, watched Donald as long as she could 
see him, then turned her attention to her friends, 
who were looking at her with affection. 

“I look like a battered war casualty, don’t I?” 

“Not very much battered, but pretty pale. You 


138 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


have been through enough to kill you. Weren’t you 
frightened terribly?” asked Cathalina. 

“My fall dulled my intellect, I guess,” laughed 
Betty. “I was frightened several times and then I 
got used to it. Was any word sent to father?” 

“Fortunately not,” said Cathalina. “Miss Ran¬ 
dolph was considering a telegram when they found 
the word from Louise. She may have sent one; 
no,—I think that she would wait till we actually 
had you at Greycliff, then telegraph, so they would 
not worry if anything were in the papers. When 
Donald came to the Hall, he said that the woods 
had been thoroughly covered by the men hunting 
for you, and by the marines hunting for those men, 
and that they were going down to White Wings. 
After they had arrested the men, a hydroplane came 
nearly to the shore and went away again, seeing 
their lights, I suppose. Since the only hydroplane 
anywhere around was at that place they thought 
some one there must be interested.” 

“They must have found out some more, for 
Donald seemed to know about our farmer and Cap¬ 
tain Holley.” 

“My, Betty, what a heroine you are,—kidnapped 
and imprisoned in a tower till the prince arrived.” 

“Something like that. I thought of it myself this 
morning, but it began to get on my nerves.” 

“How would you like to own a flying machine?” 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


139 


“Not at all. You girls may have all my rides in 
hydroplanes.’" 

The experience put Betty to bed for several days, 
more because of the exposure and excitement than 
because of any trouble from the blow upon her head. 
She was disgusted at being put in the “pest house, 1 ” 
but quite enjoyed the rest and the attentions of the 
girls, who brought her her books, kept track of the 
lesson assignments for her, and were forbidden by 
the nurse to mention the late adventure. By Wednes¬ 
day she was in her class again and preparing for a 
special examination in “Lit.” A bright letter from 
Donald expressed concern for her hard experience, 
but much happiness over their understanding. “I 
will write you how many submarines we sink, for I 
sail with the next convoy. The ‘stupid young 
American’ is on his way and isn’t worried now in 
regard to whom you will wait for! That note was 
characteristic, but he would regard you as a beauti¬ 
ful possession. I wish that I could tell you on what 
boat and when we go, but that is something I do 
not know myself.” 




140 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


CHAPTER XI. 

THE COLLEGIATE FIELD MEET. 

Isabel Hunt was gracefully flying over wooden 
horses in the gymnasium and landed, after the last 
jump, in front of Lilian and Cathalina, who had 
just arrived after a swim in the pool. Fresh and 
pink after their shower, they were considering 
whether to take any further evercises or to let well 
enough alone. 

“Think of swimming in the pool when there is 
a perfectly good lake outside!’’ exclaimed Lilian. 
Don’t you hope this miserable cold spell will soon 
be over? If it doesn’t warm up before Commence¬ 
ment I shall be perfectly disgusted!” 

“Oh, it always does. Besides, if the lake weren’t 
so rough, we would go in,—the lake water is al¬ 
ways cold anyhow. We have to have a few storms 
once in a while. But it is fine and sunshiny today. 
Let’s take a run out to the athletic field.” 

“All right. There are Pauline and Hilary, 
Isabel. I wonder if they would not like to come, 
too. We can practice for our fifty-yard dash.” 

Lilian beckoned to Pauline and Hilary, who 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


141 


joined the girls presently, and the group walked to 
the athletic field. This was back of the gymnasium 
and separated by a fence from the pastures where 
grazed the riding horses. There were very few 
interscholastic events and games, but the trustees 
had provided enough seats under a canopy to ac¬ 
commodate about five hundred spectators. The 
tennis courts stretched beyond. 

“Do you suppose that we shall be able to remain 
friends after the contests?’' asked Isabel. “There 
is the collegiate field meet, in which seniors and 
juniors will be pitted against each other in a des¬ 
perate battle. Then there are the canoe races in 
which the non-beatable juniors meet the unsur¬ 
passable seniors. What will happen then, who can 
foretell?” 

The girls laughed, and Lilian said, “I was need¬ 
ing some new words for a poem on our athletics for 
the Star. ‘Non-beatable’ and ‘unsurpassable’ are 
good, though I am not sure how they will fit into 
the meter.” 

“There is one thing, Isabel,” said Hilary, “which 
may soothe the disappointment of either side; the 
future success of the Whittiers, when you and Virgie 
win honors for us all in the inter-society debate. All 
our crowd are Whittiers, you know.” 

“It is a great responsibility,” said Isabel, gravely 
shaking her head. “Absolute split in the Psyche 
Club unless the Whittier Society wins in debate!” 


142 


GREYCL1FF WINGS 


“Come on, girls/’ said Hilary. “I’ll beat the 
bunch in a dash to the fence where the horses are 
looking over at us. The first one who touches it 
wins.” 

“I accept the challenge,” said Isabel. “Line up, 
girls. On your mark. Get set. Go!” 

The five girls scampered like mad. Five gym 
suits, five pairs of gym shoes on flying figures 
crossed the field. Cathalina gave it up when she 
was two-thirds of the way across and sat down in 
the grass to laugh. Prince, Poky and Lady Gay, 
were looking over the fence and had hoped for 
lumps of sugar, threw up their heads, snorted, and 
with cavortings and kicking of heels, fled, gallop¬ 
ing over the pasture. 

Isabel and Hilary touched the fence at the same 
time; Lilian, breathless, bumped into Pauline and 
both sat down suddenly. Both were convulsed with 
laughter, and Pauline leaned back against the fence 
remarking that it was by intention that she sat 
there. “If Lilian and I had not run into each other 
I would have beat you, Hilary,” she continued. 

“You were laughing too much,” returned Hilary. 
“Isabel and I paid strict attention to business and 
won. Shake hands, Izzy.” 

“You shake hands with the defeated, Hilary,” 
said Lilian, holding out her hand to Hilary, who 
pulled her to her feet, and hastened to hold out her 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


143 


other hand to Pauline. She scrambled to her feet 
without assistance, however. 

Cathalina was still sitting on the ground embrac¬ 
ing her knees, as the rest of the girls came toward 
her. “Anything the matter, Cathalina?” inquired 
Hilary. 

“Oh, no; I was just laughing so hard I had to 
stop. And you ought to have seen yourselves and 
the way the horses looked at you. They ought to 
be used to such performances by this time.” 

“They probably enjoyed it.” 

“I shall enter the result of this contest upon the 
sporting page of the Greycliff Star ” said Lilian. 
“Will you write it up, Cathalina? You saw it all.” 

“I will. Prince won in the pasture, and I sup¬ 
pose you want him mentioned.” 

“Yes, indeed.” 

On the day of the Collegiate Field Meet, almost 
the entire school was out to see the events. The 
ranks of the Faculty were invaded for judges. 
Patty West Norris and Miss Perin were among the 
popular ones. Music teachers and instructors, in¬ 
deed, almost all the women teachers were present, 
including Miss Randolph and even Dr. Carver, who 
was daily becoming more human. She even had 
a favorite pupil among the seniors, one who had 
Ph.D. aspirations, in whom she was very much in¬ 
terested, and who returned great admiration for 
Dr. Carver’s attainments. 


144 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


The girls were all in good spirits, the day was 
bright, cool but too cool, and the athletic grounds 
were in fine condition. There were little jokes and 
some fun, but this was more or less of a serious 
occasion, for success in the events might mean a 
good deal in the final athletic honors. The All- 
Around G’s, the class trophies, and the senior silver 
trophy to go to one girl for her entire school 
record,—all were worth striving for. 

Most of the spectators were assembled, either in 
the seats or scattered about the field when the junior 
and senior teams came over from the gymnasium. 

“Start up the new song, Lilian and Eloise,” said 
Juliet. “Here, get in front.” 

There was some shifting, and Eloise and Lilian, 
as the “World-renowned senior songsters,” accord¬ 
ing to Isabel, took their places in front. They had 
collaborated on this newest of senior songs, and the 
singing seniors made an effective entrance on the 
athletic battlefield, eliciting great applause from the 
bleachers, where academy girls and such juniors 
and seniors as were not taking part in the contest, 
with the faculty not engaged as judges, were gath¬ 
ered. The tune was lively, and the girls made great 
effort to have the words clearly sung: 

Who would not go to Greycliff? 

Tra-la, la, la, la! Tra-la la, la, la! 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


145 


Who would not go to Greycliff, 

To win an All-Around G? 

G.G.G.G.! 

^To win an All-Around G! 

In class-room contests seniors win, 
They’ve put it over, thick and thin, 

In basket-ball and swimming, too, 

Their women shine, indeed they do,— 

Oh, now look out, we’re coming in, 

To get that All-Around G! 

G.G.G.G, 

To get that All-Around G. 

The senior girls wore their colors, silver and 
blue, around their arms in a band, and after parad¬ 
ing in front of the spectators they settled down on 
the benches, to wait until the contests began. The 
juniors, likewise wearing their colors, green and 
gold, modestly let the seniors have their little 
parade, applauded the song, and scattered around in 
groups. As usual, there were more juniors taking 
part than seniors. 

“Deeds, not words,” announced Isabel. 

Cathalina and Betty were going to take part in 
the broad jump, the relay broad jump, and in the 
basket-ball and base-ball throwing, but would not 
run. Juliet was the star runner among the seniors 
and they expected her to score high in the high 


146 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


jump. Eloise, too, was quick and good at either 
high or low hurdles. After much practice, in the 
gymnasium and outside, for these several school 
years, the girls knew pretty well the ability of the 
different girls entered for the events. The great 
question, however, was who would win. There is 
something exciting about any contest, for often the 
most surprising things occur, and no one is sure 
of the result until the end. 

First a fifty-yard dash was called. Four ran at 
a time and four teachers were taking the time for 
each heat. Two seniors and two juniors ran first, 
Juliet and Jane Mills, Isabel, and a chubby little 
junior, who did not look as if she could run, but 
did. It was quite evident that Juliet made the best 
time. Sometimes it was hard to tell, when the con¬ 
testants were more evenly matched. Hilary and 
Lilian were called next and ran with Virginia Hope 
and another junior. 

“Hilary and Lilian are pretty nearly even,” said 
Cathalina to Betty. “I shouldn’t be surprised if 
they do pretty well.” 

“Look at Virgie!” exclaimed Betty. “She is just 
skimming over the ground! I didn’t know she could 
run like that! Good for you, Virgie,” she called, 
as Virgina came off the track and toward them. 

“Thanks, dear enemy.” 

There were many entered for the first dash and 
some time was spent, but at last it was finished; 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


147 


the judges and timekeepers consulted, and presently 
annuonced the winners as Juliet Howe for first 
place, Hilary Lancaster, second, and Virgina Hope, 
third. 

“Two seniors!” exclaimed Eloise. “First place 
counts five, and second place three, and the juniors 
only one point. That is a fine start for us.” 

The standing broad jump came on next. In this, 
again, there were many entries. Cathalina, to her 
horror, was called on first to jump. She had not 
outgrown all her timidity and the eyes of all this 
audience were almost too much for her. Her first 
effort was graceful but short. “Try it again, 
Cathalina,” called Hilary encouragingly when her 
turn came again. “Never mind how you look, but 
jump for your class!” Spurred on by this, Catha¬ 
lina gave a prodigious leap and did very well in¬ 
deed. She took her third chance, but did not sur¬ 
pass her second attempt. Patricia Norris and Miss 
Perin were very busy measuring and recording. To 
her own surprise, Lilian had made the best record 
in this event, Virginia won second place, and 
Dorothy Appleton, third. 

“Six points for the seniors,” was Betty’s com¬ 
ment, “and three for the juniors in this event.” 

“We are still ahead,” said Eloise, “and a good 
deal ahead.” 

“Yes, on this, but is anybody watching the ball 
throwing? I guess we can’t keep track of it all.” 


148 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“Evelyn is watching’ that. Diane and Pauline 
are doing some fine basket-ball throwing. They re 
calling you, Betty, now.” 

The bleachers were deserted, everybody wanting 
a closer view of the jumping and ball throwing, 
which were going on at the same time. The spec¬ 
tators stood around in groups, according to their 
interest in the several events. 

“Let’s have the relay broad jump, Miss Perin, 
while everybody is in the jumping mood, can’t we?” 
asked Cathalina. 

“It is on next,” replied Miss Perin, “then the 
hurdles, and last the relay race.” 

The relay broad jump started badly for the 
seniors. Jane Mills fully expected to break the 
record, she said afterward, but slipped, digging 
her heel firmly into the ground, yet, alas, sitting 
down back of them. The distance measured from 
where she sat to the starting place was not one to 
boast about. Hilary really did break the record, 
but Isabel, roused to a supreme effort, landed six 
inches beyond Hilary’s mark, and although she fell, 
it was forward and did not spoil her feat. The 
juniors loudly applauded her, both then and later 
when they had won the event. 

In the ball throwing, meanwhile, Pauline, Diane 
and Juliet were making fine records, but Hilary 
went over from the relay jumping to win first 
place in throwing the basket-ball, and was second 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


149 


to Diane’s first in throwing the base-ball. Juniors 
scored among all those entered for the hurl ball 
event. 

'‘There are so many of them,” sighed Evelyn, 
'‘that they have more chances to win.” 

“I don’t know that it makes so much difference,” 
replied Dorothy, “if we have an expert or two on.” 

“But we haven’t enough experts to be in every¬ 
thing when we are limited in entering events.” 

“They don’t want us to overdo our little selves,” 
answered Dorothy with a smile. 

Lilian in the “sixty yard low hurdle,” and Eloise 
in the high hurdle were light and graceful, carrying 
off the honors. Juliet, to the surprise of every one, 
was only second in the high hurdle. Juniors won 
second and third place in the low hurdle event. 

“Oh, why didn’t you do the low hurdle, too?” 
Lilian regrefully asked Eloise. 

“They wouldn’t let me enter any more, and I 
really forgot it when I entered to my limit in the 
other events.” 

A seventy-five-yard dash followed the hurdle 
events, and last came the interesting relay race. 
One senior and one junior ran, handing the stick 
to the next senior and junior, and so one. This 
was the most exciting of all the events. The 
spectators stood as close to the track as they were 
permitted to come, the academy girls rooting for 
their favorites. 


150 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


In this event, the juniors started under a handi¬ 
cap, for one of their best runners turned her ankle, 
and could scarcely get over the remaining distance. 
It was to Virginia that she handed her stick, but 
althongh Virgie ran like the wind, the seniors were 
already much in the lead. Some of the ground lost 
was recovered by the juniors, but at the end the 
junior stumbled and fell. 

“Godbye, juniors!” exclaimed Isabel as the 
senior covered the distance to the final goal before 
the junior had risen to her feet. “I most certainly 
didn’t think it would be as bad as that!” 

The events were over. All that remained was 
the announcement by the judges of the winning 
class, and the awarding of the trophy. The girls 
who had not kept account of the results in the 
separate events were uncertain, some hoping, each 
for her own class. 

“I am sure that we have it,” said Evelyn, run¬ 
ning over her record and comparing it with that of 
another senior girl. 

At last Miss Randolph rose from a seat in the 
bleachers where she had been conferring with the 
judges, and announced that the silver cup was 
awarded to the senior class. The events have been 
of unusual interest said she. “Both classes deserve 
great credit for their good work and spirit of good 
sportsmanship. I congratulate the seniors, and re¬ 
mind the juniors that they have another year.” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


151 


CHAPTER XII. 

ON THE RIVER. 

“Girls, we’ve simply got to beat the seniors this 
time,” announced Isabel to her crew, as they made 
ready to take out the junior canoe one afternoon. 

“I’d like to know how,” said one of the junior 
girls. “They have so many good paddlers and girls 
with a good deal of endurance, too. Then they are 
having regular practice, too.” 

“Not any too regular,” said Isabel. “If I didn’t 
have to work so on that debate, I could do more, 
but after all, I think we can manage to get enough 
practice in if we are only determined enough. It’s 
determination and management that we need, girls. 
Now listen. The senior girls are interested in a 
lot of other things. There is the senior play, you 
know, and practices for that, besides the glee club 
and other things.” 

“We are in those, too.” 

“Some of them,” Isabel admitted. “But if we 
practice regularly and often say nothing to the 
seniors about our extra practice, and make up our 
minds to learn to paddle as no juniors ever did be- 



152 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


fore, we shall win that race, depend upon it.” 

“Some of those girls are your very best friends, 
Isabel. Can you and Virgie stoop to such base 
deception?” 

“ ‘Base deception’ is good,” laughed Isabel. 
“How about it, Virgie? Didn’t I tell the girls that 
we were going to beat them in the canoe race?” 

“You did.” 

“Did they hesitate to beat us in the field meet? 
The answer is ‘no’! Will they be just as good 
friends of mine if we beat ’em? Yes. If they 
notice how we are practicing, will they care? No.” 

“I think that the main thing is to learn to do it 
together,” said Virgie. “Most of this crew are 
pretty good paddlers, but we need to learn to make 
the stroke exactly together and practice speed. 
Nobody can lose her head at that critical time.” 

“I should think not!” exclaimed Beatrice Lee, 
the junior who had rallied Isabel on deceiving her 
friends. “The seniors have ever so much on their 
minds, too, Commencement doings soon, and 
friends coming and everything,—clothes and all. 
It may be mean to gloat over hindrances to your 
enemies, but one can’t help thinking of those things 
when considering the chances.” 

“We are not gloating, but we need encourage¬ 
ment when we think of entering any contest against 
that crew. There are Hilary and Pauline, strong 
as can be, and fine in any of the water sports. Then 



GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


153 


Eloise and Diane are wiry and quick, and the rest 
are right at home in a canoe. I felt a little dis¬ 
couraged when I thought about them, but then I 
began to think of our own crew, and I tell you 
girls, I feel sure that we can do it if we will!” 

“Both shall and will, then,” declared Beatrice. 

Later, on the same afternoon, the senior canoe 
came out. “Do you know, girls” said Pauline, 
who was captain of the crew, “we shall have to do 
some good practicing. We have not rowed or 
paddled together since last year. The way we 
paddled the last time was a disgrace, everybody for 
herself!” 

“Remember that it was the first time we had 
been out in the big canoe.” 

“Yes, Diane, I know, but we must be accustomed 
to paddling together.” 

“We did pretty well by the time we stopped.” 

“ ‘Pretty weir won’t do in a race. That is a good 
crew of juniors.” 

“You are right, Pauline,” said Hilary. “If we 
want to beat we shall have to work.” 

“Isabel declared that they were going to beat,” 
remarked Cathalina, who had come down to watch 
the proceedings. “They were out a long time this 
afternoon.” 

“Is that so? Well, stand by me, girls, when I 
call a practice, and I believe that we can beat our 
‘jolly juniors.’ Nobody is to worry, just work.” 


154 


GBEYCLIFF WINGS 


Some of Isabel’s crew complained at times that 
she would not let them do anything else. “We can’t 
even get any swimming in, nothing but paddle, 
paddle, paddle,” said Beatrice, half in fun, half in 
earnest. 

“Wait till this race is over and then you can 
swim all you want to. I have great hopes, for the 
seniors had not begun to paddle in their canoe 
until after the field meet, whereas we had some 
practice right away, as soon as the river was fit 
for it. Some of their crew are down in the lake 
swimming this minute, and if I’m any judge, 
Pauline will not be able to get them out till late.” 

“Don’t you think this is fun, though, Beatrice?” 
asked Virgie, who thoroughly enjoyed the canoeing. 

“Oh, yes, I do, but it is work, too. The senior 
academy crew is out today, let’s get them to race 
us. We ought to practice on paddling against them.” 

“That is a good idea, Beatrice. It will be more 
fun. Hoo-hoo! Senior academy!” 

The senior academy captain answered Isabel’s 
hail and agreed that it would be great fun to race. 
“Pretend that we are the senior collegiates,” said 
she. 

“We will,” answered Isabel. “Let's go back to 
the starting place and race as long as you feel 
like it.” 

“Maybe we can beat you,” bravely spoke the 
academy captain. 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


-4 W W 

loo 

“All right, mayhap you can. Try it. If you 
do, I’ll bring you a pan of fudge tonight.” 

“I’d like that fudge, as scarce as candy is now.” 

Laughing and joking the two crews paddled back 
to the place up the river from which the race always 
started, leaving a little group of judges at the tree 
which marked the goal. “Look out for them a 
little,” said Isabel to her crew. “They are pretty 
good, but if they get nervous, no telling what will 
happen. They are taking it seriously. Give them 
lots of room.” 

“They are good,” said Virginia. “I watched 
them the other day when I was waiting for you 
all. But I think we can beat them.” 

“Mercy, Virgie, if there is any doubt of that, 
let me ‘bend to my oars’!” 

“They are only one class behind ourselves, re¬ 
member, Beatrice.” 

“Did you hear that, Martha, and the rest of 
you?” 

Not having any one up river to give a signal, 
Isabel herself, after asking if the other crew were 
ready, gave it after her usual fashion,—“On your 
mark, get set, go!” Onward glided the two canoes, 
the girls all striving for absolutely correct paddling, 
and increasing speed as they thought necessary. 
The juniors had in mind the coming race and shot 
ahead very soon. The seniors, academy, redoubled 


156 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


their efforts in order to gain lost ground, and as 
they were not equal to the juniors either in strength 
or in practice, found it a difficult task. The juniors 
slowed down a little, because they had entered this 
race chiefly to see how it would seem to have com¬ 
pany, most of the way, at least. The other crew 
thought this their opportunity, and with all their 
might sent their canoe ahead of the other. But, alas, 
one paddle “caught a crab,” as the girls said; her 
paddle flew out of her hands; she leaned after it, 
causing great disturbance among the crew, and the 
canoe, whirling across the stream, struck the junior 
canoe. In a moment the girls were in the river, 
both crews. 

Isabel came up, blowing the water from her lips, 
and found Virgie opposite to her as both reached 
the overturned canoe and clung to it. Other heads 
were bobbing up around them. 

“Virgie,” said Isabel, “You see if our girls are 
all here while I swim after the kids. I think they 
can all swim, but you never can tell what they may 
hit.” 

Isabel did not stop to think that the girls were 
never permitted to go canoeing unless they could 
swim, but had very clearly in mind her own ac¬ 
cident. The presence of one of the best swimmers 
in the school was of great encouragement to the 
younger girls, some of whom were frightened by the 
sudden overturning. All had come to the surface, 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


157 


however, and were swimming for dear life, or float¬ 
ing to rest. Isabel helped catch the canoe, but took 
one white-faced girl to shore immediately. It was not 
far, and there was no such current as there had been 
when Cathalina and Hilary had gone after Isabel. 

“All’s well that ends well,” called Isabel as the 
other girls brought in the canoe. “You S. A’s won 
the race, if you did upset us to do it. I’ll be over 
with that fudge. At what time do you want it? I’ll 
make it right after dinner.” 

“Just before study hours, Isabel. Will it be 
patriotic to eat it?” 

“If it is patriotic to make it. But this is some 
sugar that Virgie had left over last year and we 
discovered it in a box she left at Greycliff. It was 
only hard, and isn’t hurt for candy.” 

“Isn’t Isabel Hunt wonderful!” inquired the 
senior academy captain as Isabel left the group. 

“Indeed she is. She can do anything” 

“It was good of the girls not to be mad at our 
accident, upsetting them and everything.” 

“Oh, Isabel is like that. She wouldn’t be cross 
unless you meant to do something. And I think she 
felt responsible because they got us to race with 
them.” 

The senior collegiates, meanwhile, heard that the 
senior academy had beaten the junior collegiates in 
a race, and Isabel did not enlighten them, nor would 
she say which of further conflicting reports were 


158 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


true. She only looked mysterious and remarked, 
“It was a sad blow. O, what a fall was there, my 
countrymen’!” 

“She quoteth Shakespeare, girls. It’s no use. 
Anyhow Mickey said that the two canoes upset.” 

“Then I, t and you, and all of us fell down,” con¬ 
tinued Isabel, with a dramatic gesture. “By the 
way, I have to see Mickey. Please excuse me, fair 
hostesses.” 

Virgie had offered to make the candy, and the 
girls of Lakeview Suite had beguiled Isabel into 
their headquarters in the hope of getting the truth 
about the latest excitement. Isabel had seen Mickey 
cross the front lawn and bethought herself of an 
errand. 

“Mickey,” said she as soon as she had reached 
that busy man without whom it seemed Greycliff 
could scarcely exist. “Mickey, I wish that you 
would investigate that place in the river. I really 
believe that there is something sticking up that 
caught that girl’s paddle. And we are going to 
have some real races pretty soon.” 

“Oi think the only ‘crab’ was hersilf, miss. She 
did not know how to handle a paddle,” returned 
Mickey. 

“That may be. I know the girls were excited, but 
I thought when I was swimming after the girls that 
my feet hit something there.” 

“All right, thin. Oi’ll row out tomorry.” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


159 


“Thank you, Mickey, a thousand times! If you 
have time now. I’ll show you where I think it is. 
Here are Bee and Martha now. Come on, girls, 
let’s show Mickey where we think there might really 
be a ‘crab’.” 

The girls accompanied Mickey, showed him the 
exact spot at which the canoes upset, and on the 
following day, Mickey and one of the other men 
rowed out with a pole to investigate. There, in¬ 
deed, he found part of an old tree that had doubtless 
drifted down with the early spring floods and had 
become lodged in the mud, and perhaps other drift¬ 
wood at the bottom of the stream. The branch that 
was sticking up nearly to the surface was not very 
large, but sufficient to catch a paddle or oar. Some 
of the girls were watching, as Mickey dislodged 
the obstruction and it came to the surface, floating 
down and guided shoreward by the pole. 

“There! I knew something caught my paddle the 
other day,” said one of the girls who had had a 
similar upset in a single canoe. “You all laughed 
so when I said that it had, that I did not dare speak 
of it again, but I was sure something caught my 
paddle. It was just those sprangling twigs.” 

Everything was quite safe for democracy, then, 
on the day of the great event, the race between the 
juniors and seniors. The winning crew were to 
give a consolation party to the defeated, and the 
girls had amicably decided on the menu and ordered 


ICO 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


the feast together, through a committee from each 
class, including the captains of the crews. Pauline 
said that it might just as well be charged to the 
seniors, but Isabel, who was at the telephone, or¬ 
dering something from Greycliff Village, soberly 
said, “Charge it, please, to the junior class, Isabel 
Hunt ordering. A check will be sent as soon as 
possible, the next day, in fact.” 

Pauline laughed and said, “Well, if you do win, 
you will have to pay the price.” 

“That’s the point of this fine old jamboree, to 
make the defeated feel good. I’m prepared to be 
jolly whoever wins, but of course we are going to 
win!” 

“It is usual for the defeated to treat the other 
side.” 

“Yes, adding insult to injury. We shall welcome 
the opportunity to entertain you!” 

“How generous. Don’t you hope it will be fine 
weather?” 

“We’ll have to put it off if it isn’t.” 

But the day of the race was ideal. Never crews 
wore prettier bathing suits, ready for any ex¬ 
perience like that of the junior and senior academy 
crews. Each canoe floated a little streamer of class 
colors and the crews were in the best of spirits. 
The Greycliff side of the river bank was lined with 
girls, spectators of this contest, so long prepared 
for, so soon over. Cathalina, Helen, Betty and 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


161 


Juliet selected a high point from which they 
declared they could see nearly the whole course, at 
least the finish. 

“Which do you think has the better chance, 
Juliet ?” asked Helen. 

“Oh, ours, of course,” replied Juliet. “Our girls 
are so much more experienced. They have not had 
as much practice as I had hoped they might. Several 
times, when Pauline thought she had them all to¬ 
gether, one or the other would have arranged to 
practice something or have some appointment with 
a teacher. But they do row beautifully together. 
It seemed almost perfect the last time I watched 
them.” 

“O, of course, we’ll win,” said Betty. 

Cathalina remained silent, considering the affair 
as Cathalina was apt to do. 

“You haven’t said a word, Cathalina,” said Betty. 
“Don’t you think we are going to win?” 

“Ordinarily I would, and Isabel’s being so sure 
might be an argument against them if they were 
bluffiing, as Phil says. But you don’t know how they 
have been working. I haven’t said anything be¬ 
cause I knew our girls were giving all the time they 
really could to it, and they are more experienced in 
general than most of Isabel’s crew. So, girls, I 
don’t know how it will turn out, but I think I can 
tell you in about fifteen or twenty minutes !” 

“So can we all.” 


162 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“Really, I should not mind if Isabel did beat. 
We beat them in the field meet and it’s their turn.” 

“Why, Cathalina, where is your class spirit?” 
asked Helen. 

“We shall have to deal with you,” said Juliet. 

“Oh, Cathalina’s hopeless. She always sees the 
side of the other party as well as her own,” declared 
Betty. “Whatever happens, Cathalina adjusts her¬ 
self in two minutes. You can’t disturb the even 
tenor of her way for long.” 

“Why, Betty, did you get that remark from 
Father ?” 

“No, that is my own wise observation. It’s a real 
comfortable way, Cathalina, if not popular among 
what my brother calls boosters.” 

“You’re a nice old Betty,” said Cathalina to ex¬ 
press her appreciation of Betty’s refusal to criticise 
her, “but I shall ‘root’ for the seniors, for all that.” 

“There they come!” 

Sweeping around a little curve came the two 
canoes, the juniors a short distance in the lead. 
Their faces were sober and they paid no attention 
to the cheering crowd on the bank. With a spurt 
of speed, the senior crew overtook the juniors and 
passed them, but the juniors steadily regained the 
ground and crept up on the seniors, who were al¬ 
ready doing their best. Nearer and nearer the goal 
they came, almost together. Juniors and seniors 
on the bank were almost holding their breath. Now 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


165 


the juniors were on a line with the seniors. Now 
they had passed them. Could the seniors regain the 
advantage ? 

“Oh, dear,” said Helen, “not much time now;, 
hurry up, seniors! Just a little more speed, Pauline!” 

The seniors redoubled their effort, but it was too 
late. The junior canoe shot past the goal more 
than its length ahead of the seniors. Such rejoic¬ 
ing of juniors followed! Cheering and clapping of 
feminine hands greeted the crew as it disembarked. 
Isabel was hugged, pounded and shaken till she 
cried for relief. “Why, girls didn’t you expect us 
to beat? I told you so!” 

“We were afraid that it was just your optimism,” 
said one. 

“It was just my determination! I was so scared 
at first for fear we would not that I resorted to 
suggestion for the crew and auto-suggestion for 
myself.” 

“Gracious! Isabel is studying psychology this 
year, girls.” 

“Oh, don’t think it was all psychology. Not a bit 
of it. We have practiced early and late. I’m sure 
I’ll be paddling is my sleep for a month.” 

“Well, Isabel,” said Pauline, coming up and 
holding out her hand, “we’ll have to fold our tents 
like the Arabs and quietly steal away, won’t we?” 

“Not a bit of it. Think of that party tonight! 
Say, Pauline, I owe you an apology for my ordering; 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


104 

-over the telephone in that way, but I was only try¬ 
ing to make myself believe that we would win. I 
can scarcely realize it yet, though we practiced day 
and night to do it against such foes.” 

“That is very nice of you to say so, Isabel. .We 
did our level best, and you earned your victory. 
Now, for the party! But we really ought to give it.” 

“Not at all. The juniors entertain the seniors 
tonight. Senior yell, girls,—Seniors, rah! seniors, 
rah; Rah, rah! Seniors!” 

The “Consolation Party” that night presented 
quite a different scene from the afternoon. The 
new summer gowns, in white or bright colors, were 
brought out from closets or wardrobes to grace 
their owners. One of the society halls was decked 
for the occasion with flowers and junior colors and 
the winning crew composed the reception com¬ 
mittee. The refreshments were served from a 
pretty table at one end of the long room, and two 
junior girls pinned on the guests little canoes of 
folded crepe paper, prepared beforehand by the 
joint committee. They now bore the label “Junior,” 
added since the race. 

“Do you mind much, Cathalina?” asked Isabel, 
in almost repentant tones. 

“No, Isabel! To tell the truth,—but I must re¬ 
member that I’m a senior. Only it seems nice for 
you to have put it through so wonderfully. The 
.glory is all yours, so have no regrets.” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


165 > 


CHAPTER XIII. 

MUSIC AND MASKS. 

“Oh, the music for our play is too lovely!” ex¬ 
claimed Lilian, entering Lakeview Suite and start¬ 
ing to put away her violin. 

Isabel who was visiting the girls, looked up in¬ 
quiringly. 

“It’s the Mendelssohn music, you know, written 
for the Midsummer Night's Dream. I wish I were 
playing in the orchestra. I’ve been helping prac¬ 
tice." 

“Couldn't you play part of the time with them ?" 

“Not very well in costume. I might do it for 
a while, though. I don't come on until the third 
act, and the second scene at that,—‘Enter Titania, 
with her train.” 

“ ‘Come, now a rounded and a fairy song; 

Then for the third part of a minute, hence; 

Some to kill cankers in the musk-rose buds, 

Some war with rere-mice for their leathern wings 
To make my small elves coats, and some keep back 
iThe clamorous owl that nightly hoots and wonders. 


166 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


At our quaint spirits. Sing me now asleep; 

Then to your offices and let me rest.’ ” 

“Fine, Lilian,” said Isabel, aplaudmg. “Are you 
glad you decided on Midsummer Night’s Dream?” 

“Yes, indeed; it is going to be too pretty out¬ 
doors, the fairies and everything, and the costumes 
are perfectly lovely. Miss Randolph bought new 
ones, because they have never given this before, and 
she is gradually getting a good collection of cos¬ 
tumes. Patty and the other English teachers are 
just crazy about it.” 

“I should think that they would be really crazy 
by the time all the practicing and drilling are over. 
Don’t you think that Patty looks thin, Cathalina?” 

“Yes, Isabel, and it is no wonder. I heard that 
she is going to France this summer, but I have not 
said a word to her about it. She will tell us if 
she is.” 

“Why, Lilian,” said Hilary, who was reading the 
play,” you are all wrong about not coming in until 
the third act, second scene. It is the second act, 
scene one.” 

Lilian looked over Hilary’s shoulder at the text. 
“Sure enough. I forgot my converse with Oberon. 
That is what Mrs. Norris is scolding us for, just 
learning our parts, without having the whole play 
in mind, but we have so many other things to do. 
It is a good thing that the senior examinations are 


GBEYCLIFF WINGS 


1GT 


all over so early. I don’t know what I would do 
without senior week. I wish Mother and Father 
could come for Commencement week. They would 
love seeing the play and all, at least Mother would.” 

“Can’t they come?” 

“No, not without risking not being in New York 
when the boys leave. Dick is expected to be sent 
over at any time now.” 

“Aunt Hilary is coming,” said Hilary, “but 
Father and Mother will not this time. Aunt Hilary 
was the one who wanted me to come to GreyclifF.” 

“Yes,” said Cathalina, “Hilary and I both owe 
our GreyclifF days to the suggestions of our aunts.” 

“What part have you, Hilary?” asked Isabel. 

“I’m Theseus, duke of Athens, aha! And my fair 
Hippolyta is Pauline, because, as she says, they 
thought she was cast for an Amazon. Hippolyta is 
queen of the Amazons, you know.” 

“I read the play once,” said Isabel, with a laugh, 
“but I’ll have to read it up before the play is 
given or I won’t enjoy it so much. Let me see,— 
who’s Hermia ?” 

“Evelyn, because she is little and dark, and 
Lysander is Helen. Won’t it be great?—Lysander 
and Hermia making love in that soft southern 
accent ?” 

“Yes, and Evelyn using her eyes as Hermia. 
Evelyn couldn’t help it if she tried.” 

“There is another pair of lovers—?” 





168 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“Yes, Helena, you know, who is terribly in love 
with Demetrius, and he wants Hermia, till the 
fairies fix that all up.” 

“Modern interpretation of Shakespeare by; 
Hilary Lancaster,” murmured Cathalina. 

“Wait till you hear me say with dramatic effect 
as Theseus,—“but earthlier happy is the rose dis- 
tilFd, than that which withering on the virgin 
thorn, grows, lives and dies in single blessed¬ 
ness/ ” 

“Is that where we get ‘single blessedness’?” 

“It is. You have heard of the person, haven't 
you, that didn’t like Hamlet very well when she 
heard it played, ‘because it was so full of quota¬ 
tions’ ?” 

“Nor original enough, I suppose,” laughed 
Isabel. 

“Oh, I must tell you girls something funny,” 
said Cathalina. “Yesterday I was in here alone, 
and practicing my lines. I am the first Fairy, and 
was saying the lines instead of singing them. I 
had just broken out with ‘You spotted snakes with 
double tongue,’—when I saw that new academy; 
freshman, who has only been here this spring, stand¬ 
ing in the door and looking at me with eyes as big 
as saucers. Whether she had knocked or not I 
don’t know. I stopped, laughing, but I haven’t the 
least idea that she understood at all. She gave me 
a message from Miss Randolph as quickly as she 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


169 


could, and hurried off without letting me explain.” 

“She probably thought that you were in the habit 
of addressing your room-mates in that happy way,” 
said Isabel. 

“I have wondered several times what she did 
think, and laughed right out in the middle of the 
night last night and wakened Betty. You thought 
I had lost my mind, didn’t you Betsey?” 

“Yes; but I was glad that you wakened me, for 
I was having a horrible dream about Captain 
Holley’s coming back for me, and it was nice to be 
wakened by somebody’s laughing.” Betty’s nerves 
were not what they might be since her last ex¬ 
perience, but the girls purposely made light of it 
* 11 . 

At this moment, Diane Percy and Eloise arrived 
to join the company, and Virginia peeped in to see 
if Isabel were there. “Come on in just a minute, 
Virgie,” called Isabel. “The girls are telling about 
the play. Have you a part, Diane?” 

“Yes, I’m Demetrius, and Edith Lane is Helena, 
because she is the tallest fair girl we have and we 
have to have a contrast between her and Evelyn.” 

“What are you, Eloise?” 

“Oberon. Neither Lilian or I are really small 
enough for fairies, but in the costumes we look 
smaller. I hope the play will go all right. The 
girls are all really working now that the time is so 








170 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


near. They are rehearsing some of the scenes now 

y O 

out on the campus.” 

“Wouldn’t it be awful if it rained and we had to 
give it indoors?” 

“If it rains one day, they will whisk around the 
program and put the Glee Club concert on or some¬ 
thing.” 

“Just think, girls, only two more weeks now for 
us at Greycliff, and then we go away forever!” 
This was Cathalina. “I came with tears, and I shall 
probably leave in tears or something like it!” 

“I certainly shall shed tears if we don’t win that 
debate,” said Isabel. 

“You will,” said Cathalina. “That comes off next 
week, doesn’t it?” 

“Yes, on our regular night, next Friday night. 
Come on, Virgie. Even thinking of it is enough 
to start me thinking of the arguments.” 

Isabel and Virgie departed, while Diane took 
exception to Cathalina’s statement that they had 
two weeks still as seniors. “This is Saturday, 
Cathalina, and you know that the exercises of 
Commencement week are cut short this year. I 
don’t imagine that we shall have half the company 
we usually do, either. The Inter-Society Debate 
will be on Friday night; the play a week from to¬ 
day; Sunday, the baccalaureate sermon in the 
Chapel; Monday, our honors presented, and class 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


171 


day exercises in the afternoon, Glee Club concert 
in the evening; Tuesday, diplomas.” 

“When are we going to have our society recep¬ 
tion and our senior society diplomas ?” asked 
Betty. 

“When are we? I had forgotten that. Hilary, you 
are president, what about it?” 

“I was counting on the usual time, but why didn’t 
I think of it? Well, it can be posted. Why wouldn’t 
it do to go right from the class day exercises to the 
society hall. It will be appropriate then. We have 
asked Patty to make a little speech and present the 
diplomas; then we’ll serve lemonade and cake and 
ice cream. The juniors will see to it while we are 
having our other exercises. They are rather short 
this year.” 

“I think that will be a good idea, Hilary,” said 
Eloise. “The class day exercises will probably take 
only an hour and a half. We could have the society 
reception from four to six.” 

“So we could. We’d better arrange it that way. 
I’ll call a meeting of the executive committee 
Monday.” 

On Monday, as it happened, another and more 
important matter came up. As Cathalina sat calm¬ 
ly eating her cereal breakfast, a note was passed 
to her. “Mercy me!” she exclaimed as she read. 
“Listen to this, girls.” 








172 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


J 


Betty, Hilary and Lilian, who sat nearest, looked 
up with interest. 

“ 'Dear Cathalina: Edith Lane has measles! You 
will have to be Helena. Please let me see you right 
after breakfast.—P. Norris.' Now isn’t that like 
Patty? Takes it for granted that I will do it be¬ 
cause it is to be done. Lilian, you are as tall as I 
am, you do it." 

"No, Pm not quite as tall, but I don't think it 
makes so much difference for that reason as that 
I already have a part and have learned my lines." 

"So have I." Cathalina's lips were curling in 
amusement, however, as she reflected on her 
prominent part as first fairy. "How can she ex¬ 
pect me to learn a part in a week ?" 

"We haven't any lessons,—that is one thing," 
suggested Hilary. "You can do it, Cathalina. You 
have heard the play several times." 

"Yes, I am familiar with the play," said Catha¬ 
lina, "but Helena has a good deal to say, if I 
remember. I know four lines of hers: 

" 'Things hase and vile, holding no quantity, 

Love can transpose to form and dignity. 

Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind, 

And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.' ” 

"Think what a start you have," said Betty, her 
dimples beginning to play. 


GPvEYCLIFP WINGS 


173 


“I’ll think about it,” said Cathalina, “but it shan’t 
spoil my breakfast. Please pass me the cream, Betty. 
Mine has all disappeared somewhere, and I like to 
see a little on my oatmeal.” 

After breakfast Cathalina, who had hoped to 
escape a prominent part, since she was not in the 
Dramatic Club, hunted up Mrs. Norris and finally 
consented to do her best with the part of Helena. 

“There are some other girls, Cathalina, who are 
anxious to have such a part, but I do not feel that 
any one of them will do as well as you will. You 
have seen the play several times in New York and 
know how the different characters are represented 
and I don’t want this part overdone. Edith looked 
the part very well, but she says the lines in an ab¬ 
solutely uninteresting way, and I don’t know but 
it is just as well that she has the measles, poor child. 
By the way, all of you must keep away from the 
hospital. We can’t have an epidemic of measles 
starting here just before time to start home.” 

“That would be a calamity,” assented the smiling 
Cathalina. “All right, Mrs. Norris, I’ll try it. 
Shall I come to the practices and read the lines I 
do not know?” 

“Yes. Would you like to go over the lines, as 
you learn them, with me?” 

“I imagine that I’d better. I will get the other 
girls to hear me, too.” 

“It is work for Cathalina this week,” said tha£ 




174 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


young’ lady, as she entered the suite after the con¬ 
ference with Patricia Norris. 

“Good girl,” said Hilary, with approbation. 
“Cathalina has the right kind of class spirit. She 
is right there when there is anything to be done.” 

“I do hate to do this, though, Hilary.” 

“All the more credit to you, then, for doing it. 
Here are your first lines,” and Hilary, who had 
begun to study over again her own part, turned 
the pages to Helena’s first speech. “Here you are, 
addressing Evelyn as Hermia: 

“Call you me fair? That fair again unsay. 

Demetrius loves your fair, O, happy fair!’ ” 

“I do like her lines , the words are so musical,—* 
‘your tongue’s sweet air more tuneable than lark to 
shepherd’s ear’.” 

“Oh, you will like it when you get at it. You 
ought to have heard Dorothy Appleton rave about 
being Bottom, but she thinks it great fun now. Did 
you see her at the last practice? She said she was 
not sure which string she was pulling in the don¬ 
key’s head. She might make his ears wiggle when 
his eyes ought to blink, but we told her that we 
didn’t think it mattered.” 

Greycliff days were taking wing. The week 
fairlv flew till its important close. On Friday night, 
the Whittiers and Emersons gathered in the chapel 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


175 


for the Inter-Society Debate. Isabel, with pink 
cheeks and cold hands, had bid her friends goodbye 
with the remark that she was marching to her doom, 
but Virginia was “as calm as an oyster,” to quote 
Isabel. 

‘‘Do you think that Isabel was nervous enough 
to hurt?” asked Cathalina, who was a little worried. 
“You know how sure she was over the canoe race.” 

“That was different,” replied Juliet, who sat next 
to Cathalina. “She has to remember a speech this 
time, and while Isabel is such a fine debater, I think 
she dreads this occasion. It is more important to 
the girls.” 

But if Isabel was nervous beforehand, when she 
appeared on the stage platform she was perfectly at 
ease and never had debated with more brilliance. 
Virginia, too, never appeared to better advantage, 
and Lilian thought as she looked at the fine looking 
girl on the platform, so earnest, so well prepared, 
of what Greycliff had meant to Virgie since that 
day when she had gone in to comfort the dis¬ 
couraged girl from the Dakota ranch. It was 
scarcely possible to believe that Virginia was the 
same girl, nor was she quite. A bigger outlook, 
a more unselfish ambition and a sweeter poise was 
hers. 

The judges were not out long, and the decision 
was unanimous for the Whittier team. The an¬ 
nual banner, which for another year would grace 








176 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


the Whittier hall, was presented by one of the 
trustees, and accepted by Isabel, representing the 
team. 

What sort of a day would Saturday be ? This was 
the most important consideration to which the 
seniors wakened that morning. Everything was 
ready for the presentation of the play outdoors, and 
the girls had gone to sleep on Friday night saying 
over their lines. There had been a thunderstorm on 
Friday afternoon, but it had cleared for the evening, 
and the stars came out. The evening paper had 
promised a good day, but as Isabel said, you never 
can tell. The last practice had not gone off very 
well. That was on Friday morning, in costume. 
But girls forgot their speeches, girls who had never 
done that before, several came on at the wrong 
moment, forgetting their cues, and Patty was nearly 
distracted. 

‘‘Don’t worry, Mrs. Norris, remember that 
Miss Perm was not here to help you manage be¬ 
hind the scenes. Nobody will go on at the wrong 
time tonight.” Lilian was trying to comfort her 
teacher as they happened to meet on the way to the 
scene of action. 

“Oh, thank you, Lilian. • I am not worried now. 
We have everything fixed better now, all the stage 
property at hand and some one in charge. Miss 
Perin will attend to sending the folks on, if they 
forget, and I have the text, as prompter.” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


177 


“Behind the scenes,” in the lovely spot chosen, 
consisted of a thick clump of evergreens behind 
which a green curtain had been stretched to screen 
the players. Through arching branches was the 
stage entrance. The background was the woods 
behind Greycliff Hall and its adjacent buildings. An 
even stretch of ground on the level of Greycliff Hall 
made a woodland spot easy of access, yet with the 
wildest of surroundings. Part of the elevation, 
finally resulting in what was called “high hill,” 
ascended gradually from level ground, and there it 
was that the girls brought cushions and newspapers 
and sat, on the slope, to view the play. There were 
a few chairs for the faculty, ladies, alumnae and 
guests. The orchestra sat at one side of the 
“stage,” not to obstruct the view of the players, and 
were next to the evergreens before mentioned. Aunt 
Hilary had arrived and occupied a place of honor 
next to Miss Randolph. Girls in costume were 
coming up the path from Greycliff Hall, the or¬ 
chestra were tuning instruments, and the whole place 
was taking on a festival appearance. Prettiest of 
all were the fairies, and most ridiculous were the 
costumes of those taking the parts of Bottom and 
the rest of the Pyramus and Thisbe players. 

“I’ll not forget, Mrs. Norris,” declared Cathalina, 
“but I shall draw a long breath when my part is 
over. However, I have had lots of fun this week. 
I hate to think that all this is so nearly over.” 






178 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“ ‘Lots’ ?” 

“A great deal,” corrected Cathalina. “But some¬ 
times I rather like our more blunt way of speaking.” 

“If my girls will remember their parts tonight 
and not rant, I shall be happy.” 

But often the simple acting of amateurs is more 
attractive than that of any but the best professionals. 
The cast of Greycliff’s Midsummer Night’s Dream 
could have no fault to find with the appreciation of 
their audience. That delightful atmosphere estab¬ 
lished itself which means players who are enjoying 
their work and an audience entirely held and enter¬ 
tained. Long would they remember the pretty 
scene. 

“How did you like it, Aunt Hilary?” asked an 
excited Hilary, as she took her aunt’s arm and led 
her back to the Hall. The rest of the suite-mates 
followed, all interested in the one relative which 
their company boasted. 

“I thoroughly enjoyed every moment, Hilary, 
and I think that all the girls did so well. Of 
course I was more interested in you, and in the girls 
that I know and have heard so much about during 
these years.” 

“You must come to our suite now. We are going 
to make some lemonade to refresh you. The play 
did not take as long as I feared.” 

“They cut some of the speeches, you know,” said 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


179 


Cathalina. “I was surely glad to have mine cut, 
and Patty was kind.” 

“Cathalina had to learn her part in one week, 
Aunt Hilary. One of the girls who was to have 
the part came down with measles. Imagine it,— 
in your senior year and just at Commencement! So 
Cathalina was asked to do it.” 

“I thought that I should hate it, but I rather en¬ 
joyed it, after all.” 

“What was that perfectly heartless remark of 
Patty’s, Cathalina?” 

“Oh, she did not mean it, but Edith had not been 
doing very well with her part. No wonder, if she 
was coming down with measles. I remember when 
I had them.” 

“Have another lady-finger, Aunt Hilary. The 
Glee Club concert is our last performance at Grey- 
cliff. One by one our duties lessen. Did you like 
the music tonight?” 

“It was beautiful. I had no idea that you would 
have so excellent an orchestra.” 

“It was short two good players in Lilian and 
Eloise tonight, but it is really very well trained.” 

“I am very fond of that music anyway, and out 
under the trees and stars it sounded particularly 
sweet. Goodnight, girls, I am glad that I am to have 
some more of Greycliff’s entertainment.” 





180 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


CHAPTER XIV. 

GREYCLIFF GIRLS TAKE FLIGHT. 

The next day was a blessed one of rest, for it was 
not hard to go to the chapel and listen to the sermon 
for them and for the seniors of the academy. Aunt 
Hilary and the other guests watched with great 
interest the procession of girls in their white dresses, 
as they took their places in the front rows. The 
choir of girls sang their favorite anthems and led 
in the good old hymns which were so often called 
for at Greycliff. 

“Four years at Greycliff,” thought Cathalina, and 
wondered what the next one would bring, for she 
was facing possible changes. Her thoughts ran to 
her brother and cousins and one fine soldier in 
France, from whom she had not heard for a long 
time. 

“Four years at Greycliff,” thought Hilary. “How 
kind of Aunt Hilary to make it possible. Now two 
years of college, somewhere, perhaps at one of our 
church schools, perhaps at home, if Mother does 
not want me to go away. If—” Hilary’s thoughts, 
too, ran on, to a certain soldier boy who might want 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


181 


her some day to make a home with him, if he came 
back,— and perhaps it would be as well to stay with 
Mother and Father. 

Many, many thoughts came to these girls, so fair 
and so young, looking forward to the fulfillment of 
dreams even in that sad year. 

When they came down to earth after the service, 
Greycliff outdid herself in serving a chicken dinner 
beyond the memory of the oldest inhabitant. Aunt 
Hilary sat with the dignitaries at Miss Randolph’s 
table and at Hilary’s table, joy was unconfined, for 
Isabel had given up her seat to a visitor and oc¬ 
cupied a chair next to Lilian. Lilian, too, had thrown 
off care for the day, sparkling as Lilian could when 
her mood was gay. Her shining hair was piled 
high, one little bit of short down curling in her neck. 
On her arms was the bracelet Philip had given her, 
and on her neck his latest gift, a delicate chain with 
a jeweled lavaliere, of a pattern then most popular. 
The engagement ring was on her finger, and all 
together, according to Isabel, Lil presented a pic¬ 
ture of a “fine lady with jewels.” 

“Do you think I have to much on, Isabel?’ asked 
Lilian, rather taken back by Isabel’s careless re¬ 
mark. “I love to wear them,—you know why.” 

“And we love to see them,” returned Isabel. “I 
beg your pardon; I wasn’t criticising.” 

“Let’s arrange about the round robin,” said Betty. 
“I can’t stand it not to know about all you girls, and , 




182 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


never can write regularly to so many. It will be 
much easier to pass on the letters. Then if we want 
to write any oftener to any one we can. Meanwhile 
the history of the chief events can be going the 
rounds.” 

"I’m afraid we’ll give it up,” said Juliet. 

“I know some girls who have kept one going for 
nearly ten years.” 

“How many of them are there?” 

“Ten.” 

“Somebody will be sure to be careless and keep 
it too long or something.” 

“We might make it a rule not to keep it more 
than a month, and if one had time for only a few 
lines that would be acceptable. It could get around 
at least once a year.” 

“I think it will be fine,” said Eloise. “Count me 
in. Betty, you write to me and I’ll send it out with 
a letter of my own to Pauline, next up to Virgie, 
then east to New York, no, to Isabel first. The 
New York folks could gather up their epistles, or 
write one all together. Suppose all of us who want 
to have a round robin, or to take part in one, leave 
our names with Betty and let her start it. Who has 
more adventures than Betty?” 

“If it depends upon my telling adventures, there 
will not be any round robin, for I’m not going to 
have any more. But I will receive names for the 
round robin after dinner in Lakeview Suite. 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


183 


I 


“I can’t believe that we’re not coming back next 
year,” said Hilary. “It does not seem possible. 
Here we are, all around the table, and in a few days 
it will be like a dream.” 

“I think I’m coming back,” said Isabel, “but 
sometimes I don’t care much if I don’t come. It 
is going to make so much difference to have you 
all gone. And yet I’d like to finish up here. Virgie 
thinks that she will teach next year, though it isn’t 
quite decided, you know, depends on what school 
she can get, and she has not heard.” 

“We shall need that round robin to find out where 
we all are,’° said Betty. “Leave an address by 
which we can reach you when you give me your 
names.” 

“Strawberries, with ice cream and cake,” an¬ 
nounced Isabel, watching the waitress as she 
brought in the dessert to the next table. “I wonder 
if they are home grown.” 

“Oh, no; they couldn’t be,” said Hilary. “These 
are from further south. Don’t you remember that 
the Canada berries were ripe and beautiful about 
the first of July that year we went to camp. I’ll 
never forget my sister June’s delight. Dear me, 
how we go from the sublime to the ridiculous.” 

“We couldn’t live on the heights all the time,” 
said Isabel, “and there are things we don’t dare 
think about at all now. Think of Betty’s last ad¬ 
venture. Why, the wildest imagination could not 







184 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


have fancied anything like that or thousands of 
other things that are happening here and in Europe. 
All the old stories of Robin Hood, and ladies held 
up in carriages on lonely roads, that we have read 
and thought so romantic, can't hold a candle to 
what happens now. We hear a humming and look 
up,—there goes a knight of romance in an aero¬ 
plane.” 

“The great trouble is that these things are not 
really very pleasant to live through,” said Betty. 
“I’d rather read about them.” 

“Yes. When you know a knight, it isn't so 
pleasant to have him ‘go off to the wars’, is it?” 

“No, Cathalina,” replied Betty. 

The next morning had one exciting hour, that 
during which the prizes and honors were awarded, 
after the morning chapel service. At Greycliff the 
honors for scholarship were considered the most 
important and were given first, to relieve the tension. 
Aunt Hilary sat on the platform with the faculty, 
in a row reserved for visitors, and received the 
reward of her interest in her niece when she heard 
Miss Randolph say, “I have the pleasure of award¬ 
ing the prize, one hundred dollars, for the highest 
scholarship in the Collegiate classes, to Hilary 
Lancaster.” 

Hilary had held her place in general scholarship 
throughout the years of her stay at Greycliff. It 
had meant steady effort, not neglecting her lessons 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


185 


under any circumstances, and a careful planning of 
her work in order to take her part in other activities. 
No one but a girl of bright, quick mind and com¬ 
parative health could have made the record that 
Hilary’s report showed, but added to that there was 
necessary that determined progress of which she 
was capable and which carried her on to a mastery 
of the subjects that she had taken. It was really a 
very tired girl that went forward to take the little 
purse which Miss Randolph held in her hand. She 
acknowledged the gift and the applause with a 
little bow, and gave Aunt Hilary a bright look as 
she caught her eye for a moment. It was worth 
the effort of the four years to see the sweet approval 
and satisfaction in Aunt Hilary’s smile. 

Lilian and Cathalina took the poetry prizes, 
Lilian, also, winning a prize in musical composition. 
Eloise shone both in music and some of the lines in 
scholarship, and won one of the prizes for short 
stories. Isabel and Virginia again won honors in 
debate. Betty and Cathalina both took prizes in the 
art lines and in English. All the Psyche Club won 
their “All-around G’s,” and when the silver trophy 
cup was brought out, to be presented to the “all- 
around senior girl,’’ it was Hilary to whom it was 
awarded. This award considered both scholarship 
and the athletic record. 

“What next, Hilary?’’ asked her aunt as she 
joined Hilary back of the entrance to the platform. 




186 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“We might stroll around the grounds a while till 
lunch, Auntie, or how would you like a canoe ride ?” 

“No canoe ride, please, for me. I think that I’m 
quite modern till I see all the things that you girls 
do. I can ride and row and drive a car, but I dare 
not try a canoe!” 

Aunt Hilary was a good deal like an older edition 
of Hilary Lancaster. Her hair was quite gray, but 
her face was young, with a fresh color and animated 
expression. “Suppose we just go down to the beach 
a while and watch the waves and birds,” said she. 

“All right. By the way, we can point out the 
‘pirates cave,’ too. We had forgotten that. Lil, get 
your guitar. You need practice anyhow, for this 
afternoon. The mandolin, uke and guitar club will 
furnish music for the class day exercises, Auntie.” 

Hilary and her aunt strolled down to the beach, 
while Lilian went for her guitar and attached 
Cathalina, Betty and some of the other girls along 
the way. 

“Whither with sweet music, Lilian?” 

“Down to the beach to help entertain Aunt 
Hilary. Come along.” 

“If you are going to the beach I think I’ll not 
go,” said Betty, who had not cared for the lake and 
its environs this spring. 

“We might see Donald,” suggested Cathalina by 
way of replacing unhappy memories with happy ones. 

Betty smiled, hesitated, and finally started with 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


187 


the girls. “I ought to carry away a better im¬ 
pression of this lake that I have really loved most 
of the time. Perhaps, if we have a good time 
there, I can remember it and the time when Donald 
so suddenly appeared.” 

“That’s a brave Betty. Hurrah for Greycliff’s 
grey cliffs!” 

Taller, older, more serious seemed these Greycliff 
girls who were to receive doplomas so soon and 
leave the scenes of so many girlish exploits. They 
joined Hilary and her aunt, who were sitting out 
on the rocks, discoursing of many things. Dorothy 
Appleton, Diane Percy and Evelyn Calvert were 
coming down from the wood, and Eloise, Pauline 
and Plelen came from the boat-house to add to the 
company as Hilary beckoned. “Come on and sing 
Greycliff songs for Aunt Hilary,” said she. 

Lilian’s guitar started them. Aunt Hilary turned 
back a page or two in memory of her own school¬ 
days, as the girls ran through their songs, athletic 
songs, class songs, the whole accumulation of the 
best efforts. 

“This is a good one for today,” said Eloise, and 
hummed a strain to Lilian. 

“Oh, yes,” said Lilian, playing a few chords in a 
different key. 

“All ready, one, two, sing!” This song had a 
lively accompaniment of chords that came in with 
most surprising irregularity. Aunt Hilary asked 






188 GREYCLIFF WINGS 

afterward if it were rag-time, and was told that it 
was. 

There are white caps on the water, 

And the sky’s as blue 
As blue can be; 

On the sand the wavelets ripple, 

As we raise our song, 

Greycliff, to thee. 

Alma Mater, 

Alma Mater, 

Just a song of love 
And praise to thee. 

Not all the stanzas were as serious as this, one 
beginning There’s an Island; another, There’s a 
Cave; still another, There’s a Boat, and all re¬ 
counted Greycliff doings in ballad form,—the rag¬ 
time ballad. At the close, the first stanza was 
repeated and the guitar finished up in great style. 

“Oh, Lilian,” mourned Isabel, who had been a 
member of this chorus since some one had informed 
her where “all the girls” were. “Aren’t I going to 
hear any more the plunk of your glad guitar ?”- 

“I hope that you are, Isabel, many times. But if 
you come to New York, as you must, I hope that 
Phil will be there to play much better than I can.” 

Betty and Cathalina stood for a moment after 
the others had gone and looked out over the dancing 
sparkles which the sunlight made upon the water. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


189 


Then Betty turned away. “I’ll carry away all the 
memories, Cathalina,—picnics, boat rides, the wreck 
and the hydroplane. Do you not think that I have 
had a varied career for one so young?” 

Cathalina laughed at Betty’s affected tone. “Yes, 
I should say that if variety is the spice of life, you 
have been having it. Let’s hurry a little. I thought 
I heard the gong for lunch. I’m glad it is cool to¬ 
day. Everything looks so tfresh and pretty. I 
think that there was a little shower early this 
morning.” 

“Haven’t you the class history this afternoon, 
Cathalina ?” 

“Yes, haven’t you seen me racking my brains 
over it?” 

“No; I remember your saying something about 
it, but I wondered what had become of it.” 

“I wanted it to be new to the girls, so haven’t 
asked them many questions, except the girls that 
have been here since the freshman academy days.” 

“Jane Mills has the class prophecy, hasn’t she?” 

“I think so. There were some changes and I 
was not at the last class meeting.” 

The last class exercises, for the senior collegiates 
of that year, were held on the front campus, and 
the other classes, as well as the guests, were invited. 
Girls sat or stood in groups to hear the program 
The front steps of Greycliff Hall served as plat¬ 
form, and the members of the mandolin, uke’ and 




190 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


guitar club sat on the upper steps and the porch. 
The spray from the fountain blew in a fine mist 
under the shadows of the great trees and across the 
sunny stretches between them. 

“It is hard,” said the class prophet, “to forecast 
the future for our Lilian. I seem to see her stand¬ 
ing before a large audience, holding them spellbound 
by the cadences of her beautiful voice.” At this 
point, Jane turned to look at Lilian behind her, and 
Lilian was busy with her guitar. “Then, upon the 
shelves of a public library I see a handsomely bound 
volume of poems, with the name of Lilian North 
inscribed.— Ah, what is this picture that comes so 
rapidly upon the screen? A stately home upon the 
Hudson. But the film is torn here and the figures 
are indistinct. 

“The screen shows Hilary Lancaster doing deeds 
of mercy. First, I see a schoolroom and Hilary sur¬ 
rounded by a group of scholars. Now I see her in 
the slums, holding a wee baby and bending over a 
sick mother. She wears no deaconess bonnet and 
I can not tell whether she is a home missionary, a 
minister’s wife, or merely a Triend to man,’ as here 
in school.” 

Betty was seen as a bride, going away with a 
handsome naval officer. 

Cathalina carried a degree from Columbia and 
was dean of a woman’s college. Pauline galloped 
about a large ranch, and was finally seen to ride 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


191 


off into the distance with a picturesque cowboy. 
Jane’s imagination was equal to the emergency of 
providing a future of thrilling interest for every¬ 
body, and the audience enjoyed her fancies. The 
orchestra burst forth into a mad medley of popular 
music at the close of the prophecy, while the rest 
scattered, after being reminded of the reception 
and ceremony of bestowing the society diplomas 
upon the seniors in the society halls. 

“Things move rapidly this afternoon/’ said Aunt 
Hilary. 

“Yes, Auntie,” replied Hilary, “but there isn’t 
much to do at 'society.’ We have about half an hour 
before that begins and I think that I’d better go 
and see if they need me to help get ready. Will you 
come? The girls will probably begin to come in 
pretty soon.” 

“Indeed I will. I get as much entertainment 
from watching the girls as from any of the ex¬ 
ercises.” 

When they entered the Whittier Hall, Isabel was 
placing a little bundle of neat, white diplomas, tied 
with the society colors, on the corner of the piano, 
their new baby grand. Virgie was placing a step- 
ladder near one of the windows, preparatory to 
fixing up some of the decorations which had fallen 
down. 

“Come and taste this,” Virgie called one of the 
juniors who was adding a little fruit juice to what 







192 GREYCLIFF WINGS 

looked like a very cooling drink in a large glass 
bowl. 

“I’ll put this up,” Hilary offered. “You’ll have 
to add more ice later, so have it strong enough.” 

“Look out for the ladder,” Virgie cautioned, “it’s 
a bit rickety.” 

“All right.” 

But it was not all right, unfortunately, and as 
Hilary mounted the ladder it tipped. Down came 
Hilary, not very far, to be sure, but without a 
chance to save herself. 

“Dear child!” exclaimed Aunt Hilary. “Are you 
badly hurt?” 

Two or three of the girls rushed to help Hilary 
up, but she waved them away, and sat up slowly 
with a white face. “I’ve turned my ankle and fallen 
on it. Just a minute, girls.” 

“We shall have to attend to it, dear,” said Mrs. 
Garland, and as Hilary protected the hurt foot, with 
one of the girls to help, she lifted Hilary to a chair 
which one of the other girls drew up, ready. 

“Don’t mind, Aunt Hilary, if I groan a bit,—it 
hurts so!” Poor Hilary put her face in her hands a 
moment. 

“Wait a minute,” said Cathalina. “I’ll bring a 
rocking chair from the nearest room and we can 
draw her to the suite,—lucky that it is on this 
floor.” 

In a few minutes Hilary was being drawn in a 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


193 


rocking chair to the suite and could not help laugh¬ 
ing at Isabel who dashed by carrying a large 
enameled pail which the girls had often used on 
picnic. By the time Hilary’s pretty Commencement 
slipper was off, Isabel was back with hot water. 
“I’m not sure that this is the latest thing they do 
for sprains, but Aunt Helen always puts the boys’ 
sprains in as hot water as they can stand.” 

“Does she detach them from the boys?” inquired 
Hilary, wincing a little as she tried the temperature 
of the water.” 

“Here’s cold water, too; Virgie, hurry up with 
that pitcher, please. Detach what, Hilary?” 

“The sprains. You said she always put them in 
water. Ah—that feels good!” 

“What’s the matter? Mercy! Is Hilary hurt?” 
Lilian from the doorway viewed the scene with 
troubled face. In her hand she carried what every¬ 
body recognized as a telegram. 

“Oh, I just thought I would get up a little ex¬ 
citement, Lilian. Things were going too smooth¬ 
ly—Oh, is that our telegram from New York?” 

“Yes, Oh poor Hilary!” 

That was, indeed the last straw, and Hilary, in 
pain, knowing that the boys were on their way from 
the southern camp to New York and that she had a 
serious hurt, burst into tears. Hilary, the strong, 
the patient, the self-controlled, in tears! The girls 







194 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


all looked distressed, but Aunt Hilary now came to 
the fore. 

“Come, Hilary, perhaps it isn’t so bad as you 
think,” said she. “Isabel, will you go down and ask 
Miss Randolph to send up the nurse and telephone 
for a physician? Now it is time for your little pro¬ 
gram, Hilary; which of the girls shall preside in 
your place?” 

“Juliet is vice-president, but one of the juniors 
will take the chair while we—the other girls, are 
receiving their diplomas. Be sure that Patty is 
there, Cathalina. She makes the speech, you know. 
And see that all the seniors are there, too, before 
the meeting is called to order. Tell the girls about 
me, please, and one of you can bring my diploma.” 

“I do hate to go, Hilary,” said Lilian, “and leave 
you like this.” 

“You couldn’t do a thing. The nurse will be here 
in a minute and Aunt Hilary will take care of me. 
Oh, I’m so glad you are here, Aunt Hilary, but it 
just spoils your visit!” 

“I am very glad to be on hand, and I already 
have had a wonderful visit, renewing my youth.” 

“Oh, Lilian,—please let me see the telegram.” 

“I’ll leave it with you, dear girl, and I’ll get back 
the first minute I can.” Lilian came over close to 
Hilary and put her arm around her neck. “Are 
you just a little easier?” 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 195 

“Yes, Lilian, ever so much,—I’m sorry I was; 
such a baby.” 

Isabel came back, a little in advance of Miss 
Randolph and the one of the nurses who was not 
taking care of the measles patient. 

“Thank you, Isabel,” said Hilary’s aunt. “Now 
you join the girls. Hilary will feel better to know 
that everything is going as usual, and it will be 
better for her to be alone with the nurse and the 
doctor, as soon as he comes.” 

“Well, Hilary, child, what sort of a performance 
is this?” asked Miss Randolph with kindness, as 
she came into the suite and the nurse followed. 
“Mrs. Garland, this is Miss Knight, one of our 
nurses.” 

Miss Knight had a little dose for Hilary to take, 
and then proceeded to examine the foot, very care¬ 
fully. She was a good nurse, but very matter-of- 
fact, and said in reply to Hilary’s question, “No I 
don’t think there is anything broken.” 

Hilary’s heart descended to its lowest location. 
“Possibly something broken. Now there was not 
the least hope of getting to New York in time to 
see Campbell before he sailed! Why did this have to 
happen just at this time?” 

But Hilary had little opportunity to mourn at 
present. The janitor brought in a wheeled chair in 
which Hilary was conveyed to the elevator and 
thence to the hospital room. It was only a short 





196 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


time until the doctor came, a genial soul who was as 
gentle as a thorough examination would permit. 
‘‘Nothing broken, Miss Lancaster, and I have seen 
worse sprains. I am afraid I can’t promise your 
being able to walk up for you diploma tomorrow, 
but you will feel a good deal better than you do 
now.” 

“Oh, could I travel to New York in a day or 
two?” 

“Is that necessary?” asked the doctor, hesitating. 

“I want to very much.” 

“Well, I’ll tell you, Miss Lancaster, I will give 
directions for good care of that ankle and I can tell 
better tomorrow, when the swelling goes down, 
what the prospect is.” 

“He wasn’t very encouraging, was he, Aunt 
Hilary?” Hilary was lying in bed now, her bandaged 
foot and ankle on a soft pillow. “I suppose I am 
crazy to even think of getting to New York, but it 
does seem—as if—I can’t give up seeing Campbell 
before—” Hilary was crying again. “Please forgive 
me for—crying!” 

“Poor little girl!” Aunt Hilary was smoothing 
the hot forehead. “Cry all you want to; perhaps it 
will do you good. You are all tired out, and I can 
understand what the disappointment means to you.” 

“You will go to the concert tonight, won’t you?” 
Hilary could always think of some one besides her¬ 
self. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


197 


“Yes if you want me to and if you are fit to be 
left.” 

“Oh, I will be. I guess I am pretty tired and 
nervous this spring. After you have put it all 
through, you know-” 

“Indeed I do know. Now let me tell you what I 
am thinking about. The telegram said that the 
boys were on their way from the south, didn’t it?” 

“Yes.” 

“That means a day or two yet before they even ar-i 
rive, and they have to get their overseas outfit. It is 
rarely that they are rushed right to sea. Suppose 
you let the girls go, as they intend, tomorrow night, 
and then you and I will leave as soon as the doctor 

savs it is safe.” 

✓ 

“Oh, Aunt Hilary,—‘you and F—would you go 
with me?” 

“Do you suppose I’m going to fail the dearest 
niece I have at such a time as this, if there are trains 
and comfortable drawing room to get you to your 
sweetheart? Besides, I want a look at the boy.” 

Aunt Hilary laughed at the blissful expression 
that dawned upon Hilary’s face. “Do you like the 
idea? How very fortunate that I came.” 

“Do I like it! ‘Fortunate!’ Aunt Hilary have you 
ever been lifted from the depths of despair to the 
heights of—” Hilary was hesitating for a word. 

“Happiness?” suggested her aunt. “If you want 
to follow the alliteration.” 




198 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“Oh, I don’t mind this, if I can only go.” 

“Go you shall,” asserted her aunt. “Now, child, 
I want you to be perfectly quiet and if you can, take 
a good nap. You are worn out.” 

“I believe I can take a little nap before dinner. 
When the gong rings you will go, won’t you ?” 

“Oh, yes, and I shall be all the more likely to do 
so if you go to sleep.” 

“All right, Aunt Hilary. Isn’t it funny how 
quickly things can change ? I know better how Betty 
felt now. But she fell from a horse and did not 
sprain a limb, while I only fell a little way.” 

“Sh-sh, Hilary. I used to put you to sleep when 
you were a little girl; can’t I be successful now?” 

Hilary laughed and obediently closed her eyes. 

The other girls, meanwhile, had received from 
the hands of their favorite teacher their society cer¬ 
tificates and were busy talking to a few visiting 
alumnae, friends, and each other, while serving and 
being served with the light refreshments offered. 

“Isn’t it the most unfortunate thing that Hilary 
had to have an accident right now!” Cathalina was 
filling a plate with maccaroons to pass around a 
second time, while Lilian was putting more ice in 
the bowl and filling it up with the mixed fruit 
juices again. 

“Just dreadful!” exclaimed Lilian. “What are 
we to do about it ?” 

“I have a plan, if there aren’t any bones broken. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


199 


We’ll talk about it as soon as this is over. I wonder 
if Hilary could drink some of this?” 

“We’ll take her over some. Of course, she is at 
the pest house now. I believe everybody’s been 
served and the cakes have been around twice, except 
these.” 

“It is only five o’clock, an hour before dinner.” 

Laden with good things, the two girls and Betty 
started over to the hospital building. “My plan is 
this,” said Cathalina, “that I take a stateroom, if we 
can get a reservation, and just put Hilary to bed and 
take her along. We girls can take care of her, don’t 
you think so?” 

“Indeed we can. The nurse will show us how 
to bandage her foot. Or perhaps her aunt will go 
along. I’ll ask her to come to our house.” 

“Oh, no, Lilian. They’d better come to our 
house because we have so much extra room. I’ll 
tuck Hilary away in her own rose room.” 

“Do you suppose Hilary could manage on 
crutches?” 

“We’ll have to see about that.” 

Aunt Hilary was on guard, sitting outside the 
building on a rustic bench under a tree. As the 
girls hurried up with their hands full, she smiled 
and said, “Hilary had orders to go to sleep, but I 
will tiptoe in and see.” Carefully she peeped inside 
the door, to discover Hilary with wide open eyes, 
and surprise a long sigh from the injured senior. 




200 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 




“You bad child, you did not go to sleep at all.” 

“I couldn’t, Aunt Hilary. I’m sorry.” 

“Come in, girls,” called Aunt Hilary. 

“Oh, the girls! Good!” 

“You poor dear, how are you by this time? What 
did the doctor say about your foot?” 

“There isn’t a thing broken, Lilian, but of course 
it hurts. It’s all bandaged up as tight as anything 
and he is going to see what the prospect is in the 
morning.” 

“Cathalina has thought up a wonderful plan and 
we are going to take you with us if your aunt will 
let us, and we were hoping that she would go too.” 

“Yes,” eagerly assented Cathalina. “We girls 
can take care of you just as easy as pie, put you in a 
stateroom,—I will arrange for one tomorrow, and 
Mrs. Garland, if you can possibly come, please 
come and add to our happiness and Hilary’s comfort 
by being our guest. I know that you will like my 
mother.” 

“Aren’t you the dearest girls in Greycliff or any¬ 
where else!” exclaimed Hilary. “Everybody is 
planning for poor me. I feel ashamed of my broken 
heart, but honestly I thought, it was cracked in two 
at first. And Aunt Hilary, too, had the plan to take 
me East.” 

“Have you, Mrs. Garland?—Look, Hilary, here 
come more girls with more ice cream!” 

Hilary, her aunt and the nurse were soon supplied 




GREYCLIFF WINGS 


201 


with cooling and delicious refreshments, for Eloise, 
Helen, and Pauline had been seized with the same 
thought, and unaware of Lilian’s mission, had also 
brought the entire menu. 

“This will spoil our dinner,” said Aunt Hilary. 

“Let it,” said Hilary. “I’d rather have this.” 

“It will probably be better for you than a heavy 
meal,” said the nurse. “I wasn’t planning to bring 
you much tonight.” 

Hilary patiently bore her disappointment in not 
singing with the glee club that night. The thought 
that she might not have to miss the trip to New 
York made her able to bear lesser ills. The girls 
took Aunt Hilary to dinner and to the concert, 
brought her back to say goodnight to Hilary, and 
took her to her room at the Hall, when Hilary and 
the nurse both insisted that it would be absurd for 
her to stay with Hilary. The nurse had had special 
directions from the doctor and bathed, rubbed and 
bandaged the ankle several times during the night, 
that first night so hard to bear unless something is 
done for relief. So the time passed till morning. 

When the doctor came in the morning, he was 
surprised to find the sprain in such good condition. 
“How would you like to be wheeled on the platform, 
with the rest of the girls, when they get their 
diplomas?” 

Hilary was feeling so frisky and free from dis- 


202 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


comfort that she wanted to ask him if the rest were 
to be wheeled on too,—but did not. 

“Do you mean it, doctor?’’ 

“Indeed I do. I don’t want you to walk on it 
today, but you can go to everything if some one 
takes you. Come back for the treatment regularly 
and don’t have any more accidents. I would not 
try to leave tonight, as I believe you had planned. 
But by tomorrow night, I think you will feel quite 
comfortable. Stay in the hospital tonight and have 
the same treatment you had last night.” 

Aunt Hilary walked out with the doctor, to make 
sure that Hilary was really in good condition, and 
came back rejoicing. “We shall really go tomorrow 
night, then, but I shall be on hand all day to see 
that nothing more happens to that foot.” 

So it happened that Aunt Hilary did see her niece 
receive her diploma. Hilary, dressed in the pretty 
white graduate frock, a white shawl thrown over 
the bandaged foot, was carefully wheeled from the 
back entrance of the platform to a place in the line 
of girls who had been called forward and had 
mounted the platform to receive their diplomas. Her 
name had just been called, and Miss Randolph, 
departing from custom, stepped back to hand the 
diploma to Hilary. Returning to the front of the 
platform again, she said, “It would have been dis¬ 
appointment, indeed, if Miss Lancaster, who is the 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


203 


student receiving highest honors in scholarship, had 
not been able to receive her diploma in person.” 

Finding that Hilary would be able to leave 
Wednesday, the other girls also decided to stay, 
help her pack and be on hand to “do her bidding,” 
as Lilian put it, while they made the journey. They 
were able to change their reservations, the railway 
authorities glad to get back the berths, and able to 
make better arangements for them, it happened, for 
Wednesday night. Aunt Hilary, not Cathalina, en¬ 
gaged the stateroom, but promised to stay at Catha- 
lina’s instead of at a hotel. “It would be terrible 
not to be all together!” Cathalina had exclaimed. 

The packing was a great undertaking. The girls 
were all thankful for that extra day at GreyclifL 
The three at Lakeview Suite, though worn out with 
much Commencement, finished their packing early 
Wednesday morning while Hilary was still at the 
hospital, and with Aunt Hilary packed Hilary’s 
things later. Most of the girls had left Tuesday 
night, but there were still some trying goodbyes to 
be said. Fortunately, some of the girls could still 
look forward to schooldays together. 

Miss Randolph paid a special visit to Lakeview 
Suite and earnestly expressed her pleasure at hav¬ 
ing had such loyal, fine girls at Greycliff. The girls 
tried to tell her how much they had appreciated 
what she had taught them, in so many inspiring 
ways, but felt that they had not been equal to the 


204 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


occasion. “But she knows, girls,” said Hilary con¬ 
solingly, as she watched Aunt Hilary and Miss 
Randolph stroll off down the hall together. 

At last they were on the train, Hilary so com¬ 
fortable that she declared she could not have planned 
it better to travel in luxury, with some one to an¬ 
ticipate her every need. Her companions knew, 
however, that if Hilary could have her way she 
would exchange all that for a well foot. But it made 
a happy little company, after all. There was time 
for much conversation, some confidences, and many 
plans for the coming days. They missed Betty after 
she changed cars to go in another direction, but 
there were promises of full accounts in letters. And 
now the Hudson, the approach, the city. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


205 


CHAPTER XV. 

WHEN LADS BECAME MEN. 

A 

It was a new East to Cathalina and the other 
girls. There had been many a long stop on the 
way, for the troop trains had precedence. Every¬ 
where was the uniform, and in the Hudson were 
strangely comouflaged ships. Cathalina and Lilian 
had telegraphed about their changed date of arrival 
and were met by the fathers this time. No dash¬ 
ing Philip, blue-eyed Campbell or brotherly Dick 
at the station. But the first question asked by 
Cathalina and Lilian of their respective parents was 
“Have the boys come yet?” 

“We do not know,” answered Mr. Van Buskirk. 
“If so, they are detained at camp. They promised 
to send us word at the first opportunity, but they 
might not have that for a time.” 

Hilary managed to hobble around pretty well and 
reached the Van Buskirk car without much dif¬ 
ficulty. Aunt Hilary and Cathalina followed Hilary 
into the machine and they started off, after saying 
goodbye to Lilian and her father. 

“Not much need of goodbyes, is there, daughter?” 


206 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


inquired the Judge. “I suppose you will be over 
there most of the time till the boys sail.” 

“I may be at home a little, a very little, Daddy, so 
make the most of me!” 

“Very well, but even you will have to take second 
place when Dick arrives. Your mother lives in an¬ 
ticipation.” 

“Poor mother! Is Dick still in camp?” 

“He was shifted to another camp, but telegraphed, 
a night letter, saying that the indications were for 
a start in a day or two and that he would let us 
know. He will come to Camp Merritt also.” 

Aunt Hilary received a warm welcome from 
Mrs. Van Buskirk, while Hilary was petted and 
waited on until she said she would be spoiled and 
never would want to wait on herself again. The 
big Van Buskirk house was cool and comfortable, 
electric fans going, flowers about the rooms, cold 
salads and ices served. It was perhaps as well that 
the soldier lads had not arrived, for the girls were 
so tired that they did not need any extra excite¬ 
ment. Mrs. Van Buskirk suggested that both Catha- 
lina and Hilary should spend most of the time in 
bed for the next day or two and sent for some one 
to give special treatment to the rapidly improving 
foot. None of the relatives were invited in, no re¬ 
unions planned, until Philip and Campbell should 
arrive. Lilian, however, called up occasionally. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


207 


She, too, had been put to bed to rest, but felt 
anxious to know about Hilary’s progress. 

‘‘I feel it in my bones,’’ said she, talking over the 
telephone to Cathalina, “that the boys are not far 
away. We got the telegram Tuesday, you know, 
and your people had just heard, and then the boys 
had started. I don’t see how it could take more 
than three or four days. Do you suppose they 
can be at camp ?” 

“They might be, but Mother is expecting Phil 
either tomorrow or Sunday. She has given orders 
for all the good things that Philip likes to eat, and 
such spreads as we’ll have for the next few days!’’ 

“Here, too. Well, I suppose it takes a long time 
to move so many troops and we must be patient.” 

“Yes, but you come over tomorrow and stay ail 
day and the next. If you are here we shall have 
Phil in the house just that much more! Mother told 
me to ask you to come.” 

“All right, Cathalina, I’ll be over in the morning/' 1 

“Better bring all the clothes you want, for Phil 
will not want you out of his sight.” 

“Oh, he could drive me home.” 

“Yes, and then we wouldn’t have him.” 

“I see. By the way, little sister, have you any 
overseas news since you came home?” 

“Not a word. And Captain Van Horne’s unit is 
right in the thickest of the battles.” 

Lilian joined the Van Buskirk “unit” the next 


208 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


day, spending much of the time up in the rose 
room where Hilary sat with her foot up, doing her 
best to take care now in order to be around with 
the rest soon. Mrs. Van Buskirk and Aunt Hilary 
came and went, all the ladies knitting vigorously. 

“I must try to match this yarn,” Hilary was 
saying. “Isn’t it funny that there are different 
shades of khaki. I thought I had enough to finish 
the sweater, but haven’t. I do hope that I can 
match it exactly.” 

“'Listen!” said Cathalina. 

Lilian jumped to her feet. Cathalina reached 
for her and drew her out into the hall. Hilary 
looked at Aunt Hilary and dropped her work, won¬ 
dering if Campbell could possibly come with Philip, 
whose voice they now heard downstairs. Yes, 
who was that asking, “Is it all right to go up now, 
Aunt Sylvia?” The answer must have been af¬ 
firmative, for rapid steps were coming up the stairs, 
and Hilary limped out of the room so quickly that 
she met him at the top. 

There was no question of being engaged or not 
engaged. Campbell had just heard of Hilary’s 
accident and gathered her up, fairly carrying her to 
the end of the hall where there was a convenient 
window seat. 

“Hilary, Hilary, were you badly hurt?” 

“No, Campbell,—but how tired you look!” 

It took only a few happy minutes for all explana- 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


209 


tions and expressions that were necessary for a 
complete understanding. 

‘‘I did not mean, Hilary, to tell you this until I 
came back,—but I couldn’t help it.” 

“I’d rather it were this way, Campbell. If you 
know that I care for you, you will write more freely 
and it will seem so different.” 

“What a heavenly difference!” 

Mrs. Van Buskirk ascended the stairs and stood 
at the top without the lovers’ being aware of her 
presence, and Mrs. Garland came from the rose 
room to join her. “There is another pair down¬ 
stairs,” remarked Mrs. Van Buskirk with an ex¬ 
pression of amusement. “But our lads will go 
more happily for having their sweethearts waiting 
for them. I thought that Campbell and Hilary were 
going to be so sensible and wait.” Mrs. Van Buskirk 
raised her voice purposely as she said this, though 
she and Aunt Hilary had their backs turned to the 
windowseat. 

“What was that, Aunt Sylvia?” Campbell had 
risen, and now was walking slowly toward them, 
helping Hilary. 

“Come and meet Mrs. Garland, Campbell. Mrs. 
Garland, this is my nephew and Hilary’s friend.” 
Trust Mrs. Van Buskirk not to take for granted 
any new relation. 

“It’s my Aunt Hilary, Campbell,” said Hilary as 
her aunt cordially greeted the young man. 


210 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“I came up to tell you all that lunch will be ready 
before long. You will stay, will you not, Campbell? 
Have you seen your mother yet?” 

“No, I haven’t been out home. This was on the 
way, and I couldn’t resist stopping to see if the girls 
had come.” Campbell looked down at Hilary with 
content. 

“Why not telephone her that you are in the city 
and will be right out after lunch. Phil will drive 
you out. Perhaps Hilary will feel like going too.” 

“No, Mrs. Van Buskirk, I think not. His mother 
will want him all to herself for a little while at 
least.” 

“It is very thoughtful of you, Hilary, to ap¬ 
preciate that. You might ride out, though, and 
come back with Phil and Lilian.” 

“That is a great plan, Aunt Sylvia. You have 
a heart!” exclaimed Campbell. 

Mrs. Van Buskirk laughed. “I haven’t wholly 
forgotten my own youth,” she replied, as she started 
down the stairs again, Aunt Hilary accompanying 
her. 

Campbell said something in a low tone to Hilary, 
who laughed. “Aunt Hilary,” said she, “Campbell 
wants to know if he may carry me down.” 

“It will be the very simplest way of getting her 
down,” assented that lady. “She has been having 
her meals carried to her, but will want to be with 
the family now.” 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


211 


“If I want a permanent job as porter, then/’ 
began Campbell, but Hilary told him not to be silly 
and he promptly obeyed, lifting Hilary and carry¬ 
ing her down quickly, when the coast was clear of 
descending ladies. 

“She has begun to boss me already,” said Camp¬ 
bell as he helped Hilary into the library where were 
Lilian and Philip. 

“Oh, Campbell, as if I would do that!” began 
Hilary. 

“What, what, what?” exclaimed Philip, jumping 
up to come and shake hands with Hilary. “You 
don’t mean to say that everything is fixed up 
and-” 

“It is,” said Campbell. “Congratulate me. Hilary 
says that she’ll have me, though I’m terribly afraid 
that it is the uniform that she likes.” 

“Irrepressible,” said Hilary to Lilian. 

“Yes, but isn’t it wonderful to have them here 
for a little while?” 

“It makes me feel a little better, Campbell,” said 
Philip, seriously. “You were so noble and self- 
sacrificing that I felt horribly selfish to have asked 
Lilian.” 

The boys looked older and were thin after their 
strenuous months in a southern camp. There was 
a firmness to young mouths in those days and a lift 
to the chin, for boys had become men in the training 
and under the new responsibility, as they met the 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


212 

I . . ... 

evils wrought by the wrong ambitions of wicked 

men. 

“How did it happen to take you so long to come, 
Philip?” asked Mrs. Van Buskirk at lunch. 

“They brought us by such a round-about way, 
Mother. It was not by any means a direct route.” 

“How long can you stay this time?” asked 
Cathalina. 

“We are off for over Sunday, but I don’t think 
that our bunch will go over for a week or ten days. 
You must all come out to see the camp. Have any 
of you been over?” 

“Your father and I have been there several times 
in connection with the work for the boys,” replied 
Mrs. Van Buskirk. “We shall go when you can’t 
come to us, but this is better when you can.” 

“I should say so!” assented Philip, accepting 
further attentions from old Watts, who could not 
keep his usual impassive countenance under the 
circumstances. Louis had come with Philip and 
had been warmly greeted by both the family and 
the servants. He was in Philip’s company, but 
the relation was not of master and man. 

After lunch Philip drove Lilian, Campbell and 
Hilary to the Stuarts, but Hilary did not return 
with Lilian and Philip, for Mrs. Stuart insisted 
upon her staying and promised to take Campbell 
off by himself for a talk if she would stay. And the 
family all made much of Hilary. It had been well 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


213 


known among them how long Campbell had ad¬ 
mired her. 

“He has been so uneasy at times, Hilary, said 
Mrs. Stuart, in a little private conference, “and 
I had wondered how it was,—if you could not care 
for my boy.” 

“It was only too easy to do that, Mrs. Stuart, but 
I could scarcely offer myself to him, could I?” 

“No, I suppose not.” 

“You see you can’t be perfectly sure that a boy 
cares for you very very much until he tells you so. 
And I think that Campbell was surprised into it as 
it was! Perhaps I should have said ‘No’!” 

Hilary felt well acquainted with them all be¬ 
cause of her previous visits among the relatives, and 
Sara, who was a tall slip of a girl in her teens now, 
quite openly adored her. Hilary told Sara and 
Emily all about her sinking heart when she thought 
that she would not be able to come. 

“Oh, suppose you hadn't!” exclaimed Sara. 
“Then you and Campbell wouldn’t be engaged, and 
you couldn’t have seen him before he left.” 

“That was it, Sara. I really did not expect to 
be engaged to him, but I thought I must see him, 
after having expected to all these months.’’ 

“But now you belong to us,” declared Sara em¬ 
phatically. “Aunt Hilary must come to see us, 
too.” 

“Yes,” said Emily. “I imagine that we’ll all go 


214 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


over there to see Phil and call on Mrs. Garland after 
dinner. I told Phil that he need not come for you, 
that we should want a visit with him, too, and 
would probably be over. Aunt Sylvia will want a 
quiet day with him tomorrow, I think/’ 

It turned out so. Cathalina telephoned around 
to the different relatives and to Judge and Mrs. 
North, asking them to call after dinner. Philip, 
however, had driven Lilian home, after delivering 
Hilary at the Stuarts, and was warmly welcomed 
by the Judge and his wife. 

“Dick is at camp,” announced Philip, “and will 
get off in the morning.” 

“I will go home with you tonight, Mother,” said 
Lilian, “and help you get dinner for Dick tomor¬ 
row morning. I want you to have a chance to visit 
with him while he can be here.” 

“I shall have dinner nearly prepared tonight, 
Lilian, and there will be little to do tomorrow, but 
you are a good child and I will let you finish it up. 
Can’t you come over and help her, Philip?” 

“If I only could! But Mother would be disap¬ 
pointed if I were not at home. I’ll come over for 
Lilian right after dinner if you don’t mind.” 

It took a great deal of planning for every one to 
see the soldier lads, but the time was precious for 
memories. At Camp Merritt, Philip pointed out a 
little hut where food was sold to the soldiers. 

“See that sign?” he asked. “ ‘No Pies/ That 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


215 


never comes down, because the boys know when the 
pies come in, and go at once to buy them out!” 

At the little station in Dumont, out from which 
town the camp was located, troop trains were being 
unloaded. Processions of worn, dusty men were 
marching away toward the camp and were carrying 
immense packs that looked heavy for any one not a 
giant. The girls watched them and the great 
loaded trucks that sped away to take all kinds of 
supplies to Camp Merritt. “I grow more and more 
indignant,” said Hilary. “All this hardship and risk 
and worse, and what for?—Just because it happens 
to be our job to help defeat some murderers. But 
it has to be done.” 

Those were sober days, and when several days 
later it was evidently their last visit to the boys in 
camp it was hard to say the farewells. Not far 
from where Philip and Lilian stood talking, sat a 
young soldier and his wife, the latter a frail little 
woman with a patient, sad look upon her face. They 
were not saying a word, only sat with clasped 
hands till such time as he would have to go back to 
quarters. But Philip and Lilian said goodbye with 
a brave smile, each to the other, and Lilian stood 
watching Philip till he had disappeared within the 
barracks. 



216 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


CHAPTER XVI. 

BUTTERFLY WINGS. 

Free from school duties, Greycliff girls made 
plans for the coming year and threw themselves into 
the relief work. There were letters from Some¬ 
where in France, boxes sent and mementos received. 
The great drive was on in Europe and haunting fear 
hovered over American homes thus far untouched. 
Yet men, women and maids went courageously for¬ 
ward doing “their bit.” 

Cathalina and Lilian had already made their ar¬ 
rangements to study in New York. Lilian was 
giving up her music temporarily, for she said that 
she did not have the heart to sing while Philip was 
in France. But she was continually singing, after 
all, in patriotic gatherings or in the hospitals. 

Hilary had decided to go to the denominational 
school which her parents had selected. Always con¬ 
sidering what would be to her advantage, they 
concluded that school life would be less distracting 
for her away from home, unless she really preferred 
to be at home and attend the excellent university 
in the city. But Betty wrote that her father was con- 








GREYCLIFF WINGS 


217 


sidering the same school for her, and that Eloise 
and Helen were waiting for her decision, hoping 
that they all might be together again. After a little 
correspondence, the matter was settled and the girls 
were greatly delighted at the prospect. 

Pauline Tracy and Juliet Howe were to attend 
a western state university miles and miles away 
from any of the girls they knew,—so they wrote. 

Virginia Hope’s application for a school near her 
home was successful. Poor Isabel, perhaps, would 
have the most lonely time. All the older Hunt boys 
were in the army now, even Jim, who had shared 
the fatherly responsibilty for discipline and finances. 
It was Isabel’s form of service to stay at home, put 
as much cheer as possible into the house, for the 
sake of the two younger boys, Aunt Helen and 
her father, and take up again the friendships of the 
home town. To this end Isabel was bending all 
her energies when school opened for the rest in 
September. 

About this time, the first round robin spread its 
wings, carrying epistles somewhat brief on this first 
flight, and flew with surprising speed from one to 
another, because the girls knew that a quick report 
of where they all were was needed. Betty, who 
started it before she left home for school, wrote 
across the top of her first page, in large capitals, 
“Procrastination is the thief of time,” and under 


218 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


this, in smaller but heavily underscored letters, “Do 
It Now.” 

The girls followed her advice and wrote without 
delay, before the freshness of the news had been 
lost. 

When this round robin reached Betty again, it 
had grown much in size. Taking out her first letter, 
she replaced it with another and started the robin 
anew. But it was delayed this time. Things were 
happening. The war was being won, the armistice 
came, Christmas time, soldiers coming home—what 
wonder that girls found little time to write to each 
other in this fashion. Betty and Cathalina wrote 
often, and Lilian heard regularly from Hilary; but 
three weeks after Betty had handed the round robin 
to Hilary she inquired for it, to find that it was in 
Helen’s portfolio. 

Hilary had been writing a theme and was late 
in handing the letters to Eloise. Eloise was to sing 
at a recital, and Helen had just forgotten it. Such 
is sometimes the fate of round robins! By the time 
the letters reached Pauline and Juliet, it was nearly 
time for the Christmas vacation, and when they 
arrived in New York the March days were on, 
many of the soldier boys at home, and life changing 
very fast for some of the Greycliff girls. 

'‘Round robin coming home again,” said Hilary, 
as she threw the fat envelope in Betty’s lap 
spring day. "Let’s all read it together.” 


one 



GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


219 


“Yes, let’s do,” said Helen, “and I will make a 
few extracts for Evelyn. I had a forlorn letter 
from her today, asking why I did not write and 
saying that she was starved for news from every¬ 
body.” 

“She ought to have joined the round robin com¬ 
pany.” 

“So she says; I will put her name on the list, 
Betty, and this time I will just tell her the main 
things. I’ll call it ‘feathers from the round robin’.” 

“That is good, Helen, and be sure to give her our 
special love. Is Percy back?” 

“Yes, but Evelyn is interested in one of the 
wounded boys now, a sort of cousin of hers.” 

“The one she was engaged to once?” 

“Oh, yes.” 

Betty was opening the large envelope and sorting 
out the letters which had been written by the “as¬ 
sembled company,” as she said. “Shall we glance 
through each other’s letters?” she asked. 

“We know all each other’s news,” reminded 
Hilary. 

“Yes, but we might have said something bril¬ 
liant, you know,” suggested Eloise. “It would be 
a pity to miss anything.” 

“Oh, here’s something characteristic from Isabel,” 
said Betty a little later. “Listen! She says, ‘I 
have just devoured the round robin! Query,—what 
can you devour and not destroy? The answer is,—a 






220 GREYCLIFF WINGS 

round robin. It was so good to hear from you all 
again’.” Here Betty exclaimed, with a sympathetic 
“Oh, poor Isabel!” 

“What is it?” asked all the girls. 

“I’ll just go and read it: ‘You will be sorry for 
us when I tell you about Lou, who is still in a hos¬ 
pital in France, and we have been so worried. At 
first we got such good news about him, we thought, 
but he was gassed and wounded, too, and is not do¬ 
ing very well. Milt is with him, though, and will 
bring him home in a few weeks, he thinks. Jim is 
a casual now—I’m thankful to say not a casualty— 
and is wandering around at the pleasure of various 
authorities. It is so aggravating when we want 
him to come home so much and he is needed. But 
there are other men in the army that are worse 
off/ ” 

“Take the New York letters next, Betty, will 
you? We’ve finished reading these from Pauline 
and Juliet,—or would you rather read them first.” 

“No, I don’t care in what order I read them. 
Here are those from Cathalina and Lilian. Shall I 
read Cathalina’s to you?” 

“Yes,” said Helen, “and Hilary can read Phil’s.” 

The news from New York was especially inter¬ 
esting, though Hilary had heard some of it through 
letters from Campbell Stuart. The cousins, how¬ 
ever, had been widely separated and knew little of 
each other’s movements. 



GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


221 


‘Think of it,” said Helen, “another school year 
almost gone, and the boys coming home!” 

“It has been a long year,” said Hilary, “and some 
of them are sleeping ‘on Flander’s Field’.” 

But it was in April that the most astounding news 
came to Betty and the other girls. It came in a 
letter from Cathalina, who told how Lilian’s brother 
Dick came home looking more ‘fit’ than ever in his 
life, and how he and Captain Van Horne, who was 
growing strong after his wounds, were in the law 
office with every chance of success, how Philip was 
trying to build up the business which had suffered 
during the war, with much more about everybody. 
Then she asked, “Are you girls prepared to be 
bridesmands in June?” 

“Oh, now Lilian and Phil are going to be mar¬ 
ried!” exclaimed Hilary. “Funny that she has not 
said so to me!” 

Betty shook her head. “Guess again,” said she. 

“Dick and Louise Van Ness,” said Helen. 

“But they would not want us to be bridesmaids.” 

“I see a dawning intelligence on Hilary’s face,” 
laughed Betty. “It is, Hilary, it’s Cathalina.” 

“Cathalina!” exclaimed Helen. 

“Bless her heart, it was his wound that did it,” 
said Eloise. 

“I can’t read you all the letter, and yet I know in 
my bones that she will tell you all about it when you \ 


222 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


see her. Cathalina is shy about some things, you 
know.” 

“Cathalina!” exclaimed Helen again. “Now I 
would have said that Lilian would be the first and 
Hilary the second bride, unless Betty, possibly,-” 

Helen was looking at Eloise as she spoke, and 
Eloise assented to her statement. 

“Not I,” laughed Betty. “I’m thankful that 
Donald escaped the submarines, but it will be some 
years yet before we can get married. Both of us 
have to finish college and then Donald will have to 
get a start in business. Philip and Dick and Catha- 
lina’s lover are lucky.” 

“When did you say the wedding is to be?” asked 
Helen. 

“In June, but the date is not fixed yet. She wants 
us all for bridesmaids and will fix the time after 
school is out, is writing to all the girls to find out 
if they can come.” 

“Whom do you mean by all the girls? She 
couldn’t have the whole Psyche Club, could she?” 

“No; she said that she was afraid Pauline, Juliet 
and Virgie could not even get to the wedding from 
things they have written about their plans, you 
know. She wants me for maid of honor,—think of 
it—her mother wants to have a big wedding and 
Cathalina doesn’t mind. Then she wants to have 
you three girls, of course, with Lilian and Isabel, 
and then that cousin of hers that is about her age, 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


223 


Nan Van Ness. And Charlotte Van Ness is to be 
flower girl. She says that is as far as she has 
planned. No, for there is one thing more,—she 
wants us to have delicate colors, different colors, 
and be the ‘butterfly girls’ of the Psyche Club.” 

“Oh, that will be lovely. Cathalina will make a 
beautiful bride. Did she say how she is going to 
be dressed or anything more about how she wanted 
the bridesmaids’ dresses to be?” 

“No, only that she hadn’t thought it out yet, and 
she wants us to be planning to come as soon as 
school is out in June for a real house party again.” 

“A house party, and while they are getting ready 
for a wedding?” asked Helen in surprise. 

“Cathalina wrote—well, I’ll read it to you: ‘I 
have not thought out the details yet. It is all so 
new and wonderful to be engaged to a man who,’— 
maybe I’d better leave out that—anyway she says 
that it’s love’s young dream as yet. ‘But Mother 
and I will sit down some day and put it all on paper, 
just what we want, and then the housekeeper and 
the decorator and the caterer will carry it all out. 
I’m going to let Mother plan my clothes. We’ll do 
some shopping together right away, and perhaps 
Lilian and Mrs. North will go with us some time. 
Aunt Katharine will take an interest, too. So about 
all little Cathalina will have to do is to try on clothes 
and say whether she likes them or not. At first I 
did not like the thought of a big wedding, but 


224 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


Mother has just one girl to be married, and believes 
in being married in church, and then we have so 
many friends and such a family connection that 
there isn’t any other way’.” 

“I see/’ said Helen. “I suppose that Mrs. Van 
Buskirk is used to planning for big entertainments.” 

“I think that they usually have small companies, 
but they can have the others and do occasionally,” 
said Hilary. “Then they have plenty of help al¬ 
ways. In some ways it’s more fun to do things 
yourself, but this will be as perfect as money and 
good taste can make it. And we shall have a 
glorious visit.” 

“What shall we give her for our wedding 
present ?” 

“The Psyche Club might give her a pretty little 
white marble Psyche.” 

“A fine idea, Hilary. Cathalina would love that, 
I know,—a real beautiful one. But perhaps she has 
one.” 

“No; she spoke about it once and that is what 
made me think of it, but I’m pretty sure that she 
has not bought one.” 

“Then that makes the club present provided for. 
I’m afraid it will be hard to think up presents for 
one who has everything she wants—almost.” 

“I felt that way, too, at first,” said Hilary, “when 
I first visited Cathalina, but there are ever so many 
real simple things that Cathalina likes and I never 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


225 


knew anybody that appreciated being thought of 
more than Cathalina. Not that she expects it at all, 
but she shows so much real pleasure and delight 
that it warms your heart to do anything for her.” 

“Cathalina admires my embroidery/’ said Eloise, 
“and I’m going right down street tomorrow and 
buy the finest linen I can find and start something. 
What shall it be?—doilies? table cover?—Oh, well, 
I can think it out better after I look around the 
shops a little.” 

“I could hemstitch and embroider some ‘hankysV’ 
said Helen. 

“Wouldn’t it be fun to have a shower while we 
are at Cathalina’s ?” 

“Yes, Betty, but we would not be there long 
enough beforehand.” 

“Cathalina says that she wants us two weeks be¬ 
forehand, if it is possible.” 

“Let’s hope that school closes early, then.” . 

“We can plan to leave right after examinations, 
and not stay for the Commencement. We are not 
graduating, and what is a Commencement com - 5 
pared with a wedding?” 

“If we had not been to so many Commencement 
exercises at Greycliff we might not think so, but I 
fully agree with you,” said Hilary. “We can go 
right on now with plans for our little gifts and have 
our clothes ready for the trip. Think of it!” 

On the next mail there came a letter from Catha- 






226 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


lina directed to Hilary and addressed to all the 
girls, inviting them to be her bridesmaids and telling 
of her plans. The date was the same as that of 
Betty’s and the two letters had been mailed at the 
same time. “I’m going to write to each one of you, 
separately, and later will have more to tell you 
about plans. If you have any suggestions,—mail 
them on!” There was much more, all in the happiest 
vein. Later the formal invitations were sent. 


In New York, there was among the relatives a 
pleasant excitement over the engagement and ap¬ 
proaching marriage of Cathalina. Nan Van Ness, 
who was the only one of the girls in the family to 
be a bridesmaid, was at the Van Buskirk house a 
great deal of the time. Lilian ran in and out, of 
course, and the girls were in the gayest of spirits. 
Philip suggested to Lilian that there be a double 
wedding, but Lilian said that it would not do. 

“I’m sure that your mother would want this to 
be Cathalina’s own wedding, Philip. I know I 
would in her place. And besides, I believe I should 
prefer to have a wedding of my own, too. Then I 
can’t leave Mother for a little while. Hearing that 
Dick was ‘missing’ and not knowing any better for 
a month nearly finished her and she has not gotten 
over it yet.” 

“All right, best and dearest,” said Philip. “We’ll 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


227 


give our little sister the finest wedding ever, and 
then I shall not have to wait too long, shall I ?” 

“Not very long, Philip. You have been through 
enough, and I'll try to make you forget the sad 
things in being happy with me. Mother will not 
want to keep us apart. I’ve just been so pleased to 
see how she fusses over you since you came home, 
almost as much as she does over Dick.” 

The older girls in the family connection did not 
expect to be bridesmaids for this wedding. Catha- 
lina had worried about it a little at first, although 
Nan was the only one who was of her own age. She 
loved the older girls, but did want her “butterfly 
girls,” as she sometimes called the girls of the 
Psyche Club. And after Cathalina learned through 
Aunt Katherine and Louise Van Ness that Ann 
Maria would be married some time in the summer 
or fall to a young officer, she knew that Louise and 
Emily and the other girls in Ann Maria’s circle of 
friends would be bridesmaids for her. 

June came and brought the “butterfly girls” to 
New York. Leaving before Commencement per¬ 
mitted them to arrive about the close of the first 
week in June, and ten days before the wedding. 
The pretty bridesmaid gowns were carefully boxed 
and came through in good condition. Cathalina’s 
and Mrs. Van Buskirk’s maids unpacked for the 
girls and put their clothes in drawers and closets. 
Hilary and Betty were in the rose room, Eloise and 


228 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


Helen near, Isabel in a small room, to sleep by her¬ 
self in the few hours which they spent in that oc¬ 
cupation, though Mrs. Van Buskirk came around 
herself to see that they did not talk too late, re¬ 
minding them that they must keep in fine condition 
for the great event. 

There was so much to talk about! Nearly a year, 
and a strange year, had some of them been separated 
Cathalina waited till all the girls had arrived and 
then showed them her pretty trousseau. “Dainty 
and lovely, like you, Cathalina,” said Isabel. 

“I haven’t had anything packed yet, because I 
wanted you all to see everything,” said Cathalina, 
“but the maid is going to begin as soon as Mother 
and I select what I shall want with me. We are 
going to Canada for our wedding trip, not much of 
a trip, just to get there and stay in a perfectly beau¬ 
tiful country place. We shall be there a month and 
then may join the folks at the seashore. It’s all 
beautifully indefinite, and Allan and I don’t care 
where we are just so we are together.” 

“‘Allan,’—Captain Van Horne! I was going 
to ask you, Cathalina, if you called him by his first 
name.” 

Cathalina laughed. “He doesn’t seem so old to 
me now as when he was an instructor at Grant. 
He’s a good deal of a boy, now that he is happy 
and does not have to worry about law school and 
making a living and all that. He works too hard. 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


229 


of course, I suppose he always will, but he has such 
a fine opportunity now that he need not worry. 
We are not going to begiTi on any large scale of 
living. Just think, girls, what if I had never learned 
anything but just being waited on and wanting 
everything. We are going to get a darling little 
apartment as soon as we come back and start in 
that. Mother mourns a little and says, ‘Think of 
this big house and nobody but your father and me 
pretty soon!’ But I think that Father admires both 
Allan and Phil for wanting to be independent. If 
the presents keep coming at the rate they are, a 
little apartment will not hold them all. However, I 
can store them here.” 

“When did it happen, Cathalina?” asked Isabel. 

“Getting engaged, you mean?” 

Isabel nodded. “I do not mean to be inquisitive, 
but we thought that you did not hear from him very 
often,—and so I just wondered when.” 

“No, I did not hear from him often, neither was 
I sure that he cared in that way for me. I dreamed 
of him, but was more or less ashamed of it, and 
scolded myself for having such a hero when he prob¬ 
ably only thought of me as a good friend,—though 
there zvere times-” 

“Yes,” said Betty. “If ever there was adoration 
in a man’s eyes, it was in Captain Van Horne’s one 
time, on that picnic at Greycliff. I told Cathalina 
so, but she made light of it.” 



230 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“What else could I do?” asked Cathalina. “The 
reason I didn’t hear was that he was in action so 
much of the time, and he was wounded twice. The 
first time it didn’t amount to much and he went 
back, but the second time he was in the hospital over 
there a long time, and was sent home from there. 
He came to New York, but got sick on the way, and 
had to go to a hospital here. Then he wrote me a 
little note and I went to see him.” Cathalina 
stopped. “I can just see him now,” she went on 
in a moment, lowering her voice. “He was so thin 
and white and he stretched out both his hands to 
me and called me his darling. I felt like his mother 
and went right to him and slipped my arm under 
his head! Wasn’t it dreadful? He says that he 
had just waked up and when the nurse showed me 
in he thought it must be in heaven. Philip jokes 
me about it and tells me that Allan was out of his 
mind and that I took advantage of it! But if he 
were out of his mind for a minute it would not 
explain all he told me when he was in his right mind 
a few minutes later and it all came out; so I have 
no reason to wonder about whether he loves me or 
not.” 

“It’s funny how suddenly these things do hap¬ 
pen,” said Hilary, thinking of her own experience. 

“Yes, said Betty, “but you must remember that 
everything has been so different with our boys, and 
such tragedies of separation have happened that 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 231 

there has been good reason for romantic and 
sudden-” 

'‘Episodes/’ finished Isabel. 

The girls were all sitting on Cathalina’s bed from 
which the pretty dresses and other things had been 
cleared after the display, or on chairs drawn close 
as they held this rather intimate conversation, all 
so interested and sympathetic toward the prospective 
bride. Isabel was on one side of Cathalina and 
Betty on the other, and all the girls were so de¬ 
lighted to have the short reunions, so eager to hear 
the confidences. 

“As soon as Allan was able he went into the of¬ 
fice and besides that he had a little bit of good luck 
in getting some property sold that had been only an 
expense, something from his father’s estate, I 
guess,—you know, Betty, how beautifully indefinite 
I am. I don’t really know, except that he can afford 
to get married now. He is coming to call this 
evening and see you all. Now ask Lilian how her 
love affair is coming on.” Cathalina turned with a 
smile to her future sister-in-law. 

“Yes, Lilian,” said Eloise, “tell us when that 
event will be.” 

“Before so very long, Eloise, but Mother is not 
well and I shall just quietly get ready and have a 
small wedding, though probably in the same church, 
and just have the family in afterwards. Mrs. Van 
Buskirk wants to give a reception for us after our 



232 


GKEYCLIFF WINGS 


trip, so that will probably happen. Could you girls 
get back for it? I hate to be married without you.” 

The girls looked doubtful and regretful. “We 
always expected to have this reunion at your wed¬ 
ding, Lilian,” said Eloise, “and did not dream that 
Cathalina would be the first one to leave our ranks; 
but perhaps you are really more free to visit than 
you will be later when you are getting married 
yourself.” 

“There is something in that, Eloise,” acknowl¬ 
edged Lilian. “But come, if yon possibly can,” she 
added, and the girls all promised that they would. 

That first evening, Allan Van Horne duly ap¬ 
peared. It was the first time that the girls had 
seen him not in uniform, either that of the school 
where he taught or that of Uncle Sam, and they 
came to the conclusion that he appeared well in 
citizen’s ordinary attire. 

“He is handsome even without the uniform, 
Cathalina,” said Isabel when she had opportunity 
for a private remark. 

“I don’t know that he is what you would call a 
handsome man,” replied Cathalina reflectively, 
looking across the room at her prospective husband, 
who was chatting with Philip, Lilian and Betty. 
“But he carries himself so well and has such a fine 
face. Of course, I think that he is just about the 
most adorable man there is.” 


GEEYCLIFF WINGS 


233 


“What color are his eyes? I thought they were 
blue, but they look like brown eyes tonight.” 

“Isn’t that funny? Betty insisted that they were 
blue, and I thought of them as brown, and they 
really are, I guess, though Allan says that he was 
said to have hazel eyes. Anyway they are nice, 
kind eyes.” 

Hilary and Campbell were having a little visit 
now, their chairs drawn near the piano, where 
Philip had gone to look over some music for Lilian 
to sing. Mr. and Mrs. Van Buskirk had settled 
down to read a little or visit the young people, as 
it might happen. It was like the good old days 
before the war, and the sound of young voices and 
young laughter cheered their hearts. 

Campbell was telling Hilary a piece of good 
news. “They want me at the college, Hilary. I had 
a letter today from the president. I will be an in¬ 
structor at first, but with a fair salary, and a chance 
to get out my master’s degree right there. And 
summers I can work on my line, too. They will 
make me an assistant professor as soon as I get the 
master’s degree and I can take care of you then. 
Will you marry me as soon as you graduate?” 

Hilary clasped her hands and exclaimed. “Why, 
Carnpbell, what an opportunity! So I’m to be the 
wife of a distinguished professor of economics?” 

“I don’t know how 'distinguished,’ but a respec¬ 
table teacher, I hope,” replied Campbell. 


234 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


“Perhaps you ought to wait until you have all 
your study accomplished/’ said Hilary. 

“The college—university—is big enough for me 
to do most of it right there; besides, I want to get 
a great deal of my material from life and a study of 
actual conditions. That is what the department 
there wants, and the president was good enough to 
say that he thought I was the man who could bring 
them what they want. Then they don’t know what 
a wonderful wife I’m going to take there!” 

Hilary laughed. “Well, I do not see but we could 
marry next summer some time, while you have your 
vacation. I shall be graduated about this time, 
and you will be through with your first year’s 
work.” 

Just then from the hall came several young men 
in uniform, ushered by Watts. “Bob Paget!” ex¬ 
claimed Cathalina, and the whole company rose 
while Mr. and Mrs. Van Buskirk, Philip and Catha¬ 
lina went forward to greet the callers. They were 
Robert Paget, Lawrence Haverhill and two other 
young officers who had recently arrived from 
France and were still in uniform. This was very 
thrilling to Isabel, who began to feel that she was 
not altogether left out of romance when Robert, 
having renewed acquaintance with his cousin, 
Helen, selected Isabel as the object of his chief at¬ 
tentions for the rest of the evening, ^ saying to 
Cathalina as he left. “She is as sweet and pretty as 



GREYCLIFF WINGS 


235 


a rose. How did it happen that I never met that 
one?” 

i “You were away, I think, when she was here,” 
Cathalina replied, and saved the remembrance of 
his words, to repeat to Isabel. 

, Cut glass, silver, linen, china,—the gifts came 
pouring in these last few days. Then there was a 
little of the old Van Buskirk silver which was 
Cathalina’s share. “I’ve found out, girls,” said 
she, “that Martin Van Buskirk was not the first one 
at all and did not come from Holland to fight in 
the Revolution. We had it all looked up when 
somebody wanted to go into the Daughters of the 
Revolution. It was a Laurens Van Buskirk who 
came from Denmark and bought a lot on Broad 
Street, New Amsterdam,—’way back in 1655. And 
what do you think,— a John Van Buskirk married 
an Esther Van Horn about 1750! So this isn’t the 
first time that Van Buskirk and Van Horn have 
married. We are going to see if she is an an¬ 
cestor of Allan’s, if we can find out. She was 
Esther Van Horn Van Buskirk, and I’ll be Catha¬ 
lina Van Buskirk Van Horne. See Isabel shaking 
her head! What’s the matter, Isabel?” 

“All these ‘Vans’ are too much for me. It’s a 
good thing you can keep them straight, Cathalina.” 

At last there came the eventful occasion, a mid- 
June night. Everything was ready at the Van Bus¬ 
kirk home and an extra maid or two helped the 


236 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


girls with their dressing. Cathalina had disap¬ 
peared from view entirely several hours before, as 
her mother insisted upon a little rest for everybody 
that afternoon, and trays were brought to the rooms 
about five o’clock. Bags and trunks were already 
at the station, checked for the trip and Allan Van 
Horne had his tickets safely in the suit to which he 
would change from his dress suit. Phil remarked 
that as there were so many details to attend to 
about a wedding he thought that he would “just 
kidnap Lilian, stop at a minister’s to be married, and 
catch the first train out of New York, or take the 
boat.” 

“Where to?” asked Lilian upon this occasion. 

“Heaven,” promptly replied Philip. “Anywhere 
with you would be that.” 

There had been plenty of fun in this time of visit¬ 
ing, but some seriousness, too. And now the wed¬ 
ding promised to be as beautiful as Mrs. Van Bus- 
kirk wanted it to be for Cathalina. 

The night was star-lit, warm, but not stifling, 
and the June roses in the vases gave the proper at¬ 
mosphere to the house. Mr. Van Buskirk told the 
girls, as they gathered downstairs preparatory to 
the ride to the church, that they did indeed look 
like “butterfly girls,” with their vari-colored frocks 
of soft silk and filmy tulle. All the colors were pale, 
Betty’s frock, blue; Lilian’s, peach; Hilary’s, green; 
Eloise’s, yellow; Helen’s, orchid; Isabel’s, pink; 









GREYCLIFF WINGS 


237 


and Nan’s, lavender. Smiling, girlish faces above 
these pale shades and the flowers made a charming 
picture for the bride to Took upon as she entered 
to see the girls before leaving. 

They had been talking a little, as they waited 
these few minutes, but all conversation stopped as 
Cathalina came in. Graceful and sweet in her white 
satin, the white veil floating back from where it was 
caught in a coronet of lace, she was, indeed, their 
own Cathalina. Betty swallowed a lump and the 
tears almost came to Hilary’s eyes. “Oh,” said 
Isabel, “when Captain Van Horne sees you com¬ 
ing down the aisle, he will think it is an angel !” 

“Not much of an angel, I’m afraid,” said Catha¬ 
lina, as she went around and kissed every one. 
“Come on, everybody,” she said. “I wanted to tell 
you, and Mother is waiting. Have you my flowers. 
Father?” 

“They have been put in the car, little daughter.” 

It seemed only a minute before they were at the 
church getting ready the little procession which 
would accompany Cathalina. Philip was best man, 
and stood at the altar, with Allan Van Horne, won¬ 
dering how it would seem when he was the groom. 
He suffered one pang when he thought “what if I 
haven’t the ring,” but a distinct recollection of 
putting it in his pocket consoled him. The old min¬ 
ister, too, was waiting, the same minister who had 
baptized Cathalina and was now to marry her. 


238 


GREYCLIFF WINGS 


Then they came, first, Charlotte Van Buskirk, as 
flower girl. Betty, as maid of honor; Lilian with 
Hilary, Eloise with Helen, and Isabel with Nan 
followed, and the bride on the arm of Philip Senior. 
Now the hush, the solemn words of the service, and 
Cathalina Van Horne, with her bridal flowers, 
walked out of the church on the arm of her husband. 


THE END. 




Marjorie Dean 
College 
Series 


BY PAULINE LESTER. 

Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean High School Series, 

^ Those who have read the Marjorie Dean High 
School Series will be eager to read this new series, 
as Marjorie Dean continues to be the heroine in 
these stories. 


All Clothbound. Copyright Titles. 
PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH. 


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For sale by all booksellers, or sent postpaid on receipt of price by' 

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Marjorie Dean 
High School 
Series 

PAULINE LESTER 

Author of the Famous Marjorie Dean College Series 

These are clean, Wholesome stories that will be of great 
interest to all girls of high school age. 

All Cloth Bound Copyright Titles 

PRICE, 65 CENTS EACH 


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